Hello and Happy new year, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I have read the comments you left under my last blog and I was surprised because I didn’t think anyone would read this. I must answer them individually, but I have to ask my son to show me how to do that as I’m not sure.
It was nice to read all of your comments, Deadened-glow I liked you comment about your grandparents leftover’s soup. This is one of my favourite soups, it is called “End of week soup” in my home and since lots of people are stuck in doors due to extreme weather conditions I thought I would write about my End of Week Soup, which is all about using what’s left in the fridge at the end of the week.
End of Week Soup
Well, firstly look in your vegetable rack in your fridge, hopefully you will have some vegetables left from the week. Ideally you will have a couple of carrots, onions, a leek, broccoli, some spring onions left over from a salad, cabbage and any other green vegetables.
I use a 3 litre saucepan for my End of Week Soup, but I use a lot of vegetables during the week which means there is quite a lot left over.
Wash all the vegetables, peel those that need peeling and then chop them all, it doesn’t matter how you chop them any size will do. Once you have chopped the vegetables put all the vegetables in the saucepan and add any colour lentils and a good amount of potatoes. I like thick soup so I use quite a few potatoes, 5 or 6 good size ones and make sure you use the oldest ones first. The lentils also help to thicken the soup, I use about 2 or 3 ounces. Make sure you put the lentils on top because they tend to burn if you put them at the bottom of the saucepan. Add vegetable stock, preferably dry vegetable bullion (6-7 table spoons and just throw it on top of the veg) also if you have them add any coloured mustard seeds, about a desert spoon full. Add a good amount of black and white pepper, I use loads of black pepper (about 6 big twists on the pepper mill) but put an amount in to suit your own taste. Don’t put too much in to start because you can add as you go. If you have them you could add a fresh chilli, make sure you de-seed it because it will be too hot and become ‘chilli soup’ otherwise, or you could use a ¼ tsp (tea spoon) of ground chilli. I like this because it adds a spice to a winter soup. Finally a quick shake of salt, this can be added later if you want to and some parsley or any other fresh herbs.
Simmer don’t boil
Now you need to add water, add enough water to only just cover the vegetables (or just a little under) make sure they are not swimming. Turn the heat on maximum and bring the soup to boil and give it a stir. Once it has boiled, immediately turn the heat down to the very lowest possible and leave to simmer (but hot enough to show the odd bubble otherwise it won’t be cooking it will just be sitting there). I would suggest simmering for a good couple of hours, about 2 or 3 or until the vegetables are nice and soft. Make sure you stir regularly, especially if you have lentils in it as they tend to stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn. Check the carrots and potatoes because they take the longest to cook. The longer you can leave it simmering the nicer the soup, some people cook fast but I like to cook slow so all the vegetables have a chance to omit all their flavours, only slow cooking can do this.
I usually make this soup when I come in from work in the later afternoon and I do other things around the house as it is cooking. Once its simmered for long enough, put it to the side to cool down (may not be cold to put in the fridge by the time you go to bed because the saucepan holds the heat). It is perfectly okay to leave it out over night because it is only vegetables, if you are like me I am in work very early so I put the whole saucepan in the fridge the next morning.
Creamy or chunky
When I return home from work, I take the saucepan out of the fridge and put the contents into my multi-chef which has a liquidizer and a large bowl attached. So you have the choice of a creamed soup or a chunky soup, the liquidizer will do the creamed soup and the larger bowl will do the slightly chunky soup. However, for my End of Week soup I use the chunky option, but it is up to you.
When you have finished liquidizing add a couple of table spoons of double cream into the cold soup and stir, then separate the soup into lock tight containers so no air can get to it and put in the fridge. They can remain there for up to 3 or 4 days or you can freeze if you like. I put one in the freezer and two in the fridge.
When you want to use the soup, take the container out of the fridge and leave at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before re-heating. To defrost the soup, leave in the fridge for 2 days, what ever you do do not defrost it in the microwave. As I said in my last blog, when you come to re-heat it you must do this very very slowly otherwise you will destroy the taste if you boil it. and don’t forget to stir regularly as you reheat.
You can serve this with lovely warm crusty rolls with grated cheese and a twist of cream into the soup bowl.
Enjoy
Mum
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