Mer soppor

Potato & Pea Soup

(five *'s)

Preparation time: 40mins
Serves 4-6

• 1 brown onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 celery stick (including the leafy tops), roughly diced
• 1kg (2lb) potatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1lt good quality vegetable stock
• 270g (½lb) peas
• 375ml (1½ cups) evaporated soy (or dairy) milk
• 1 lemon

to serve

• 2tbs tahini paste (or natural set yoghurt)
• extra lemon

Heat the oil and mustard seeds in a large pot until the mustard seeds being to pop, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and celery and fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until soft, add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the chopped potatoes and toss through. Turning down the heat, cover the pot with a lid and sweat the potatoes for 5 minutes tossing the pot frequently to stop the potatoes from sticking.

After five minutes give the potato and onion mixture a good stir and add the stock (preferably hot) plus enough water to cover the potatoes completely if need be.

Bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for 20 minutes adding the peas in the last 3 minutes, remove from the heat.

Using a stick blender or in batches in a food processor blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Return to the heat and adding the soy milk gently heat through without boiling for a few minutes until the soup is well combined and velvety.

Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of ½ or a whole lemon (depending on your taste).

In a small bowl combine the tahini paste with the juice of ½ a lemon until smooth.

Serve the potato soup in warm bowls drizzled with the thaini and lemon mixture and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Alternatively the soup can be served drizzled with natural set yoghurt. A super simple vegetarian soup recipe the whole family will enjoy!

Tempeh & Sweet Corn Soup

Preparation time: 30mins
Serves 4

• I brown onion, finely diced
• 1 stick of celery, finely diced
• 1 chilli, finely diced (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 250g (9 oz) tempeh
• 2 tbs cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp powder vegetable stock
• 2 x 410g (14.5 oz) tinned creamed corn
• 2 cups corn kernels (fresh or tinned)
• 1L (2 pints) homemade or good quality vegetable stock
• 1 tbs brown sugar

to serve

• soy cream or natural yoghurt (for non-vegans)
• coriander (cilantro) or parsley

Crumble the tempeh into chunks. Combine the cornflour and powdered stock together in a small bowl. Toss the chunks of tempeh in the cornflour mixture and coat well.

Heat 1-2 tbs rice bran or vegetable oil in a good sized heavy based pot. Add the onion fry for 1 minute over a medium heat, add the celery, chilli and garlic, continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until celery and onion are soft.

Add the tempeh and toss, cooking over a medium heat, add a little stock if it begins to stick. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden.

Add the stock, creamed corn, corn and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes until soup has reduce slightly and nicely thickened.

Serve warm drizzled with soy cream or natural yoghurt, torn coriander (cilantro) or parsley and a little sprinkle of Japanese spice powder (sansho) if desired.

Tempura Udon

Kombu Stock

Preparation time: 25mins
Makes 1½ L (appx. 3 pints)

• 20g dried kombu seaweed
• 10g dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2L (4 pints) water
• ½-1½ tbs miso paste

Add the kombu and shiitake mushrooms to the water in a large pot. Bring to a very gentle simmer and allow to cook, without boiling, for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve to remove kombu and mushroom and return to the pot. Add the miso paste and stir through until dissolved. Set aside. Could be kept in the fridge for a couple or days or frozen until use.

Tempura Udon

Preparation time: 30mins
Serves 4

Tempura

• 4 mushrooms
• 4 slices, eggplant
• 4 slices, sweet potato
• 4 broccoli florets
• 150g firm tofu, cubed
• 2 cups rice bran oil

Tempura Batter

• 1 free range egg (or equivalent in egg replacer)
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt

Udon Broth

• 1½ L (3 pints) kombu stock
• 1/3 cup Tamari/Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbs mirin

to serve

• 600g fresh or dried udon prepared to packet instructions
• sliced green onions

Bring the kombu stock to a gently simmer with the soy sauce and mirin, simmer and keep warm until tempura is ready.

To make the batter beat the egg gently, add the cold water, flour and salt and whisk together quickly. Have your vegetables ready to go before making the batter so you can use it straight away.

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan until the surface begins to shimmer. Taking on piece at a time dip the vegetables into the batter and then into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the batter just starts to golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.

Have your udon soup ready to go so you can add the tempura vegetable fresh and crisp, they can soon turn soft so eating them straight away is best.

Dish out the prepared udon noodles into 4 separate bowls, ladle over broth and top with tempura, garnish with green onions and a little Japanese chilli seasoning. Eat while hot with chopsticks, raising the bowl to your mouth so you can slurp up all the deliciousness : )

Veggie Noodle Soup

Preparation time: 20mins
Serves 4

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 1 red chilli, diced (optional)
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• small bunch of fresh thyme, diced
• 200g (7 oz) beans (butter, kidney or chickpeas)
• 1 tbs vegetable extract (such as promite or marmite)
• 1 L (1 quart) vegetable stock
• 500ml (1 pint) water
• 150g (5oz) pasta

Heat the oil in a large saucepan; add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until soft.

Add the diced chilli, carrot, celery and thyme; toss well and cook for a further 1-2 minutes; add the beans and toss well.

Add the vegetable extract, stock and water. Bring to a gently boil.

Add the pasta and continue to simmer over a medium heat for 10-15minutes until the pasta is al dente (tender).

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as is or topped with your favourite cheese and a side of warm crusty bread.

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