City Cottage | Page 37

Creamy Onion Soup

This is a creamy soup, that really satisfies on a cold day. I like to serve this with a hunk of my favourite cheese, which changes regularly, and some crusty bread or slices of thin toast.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4–6
30g butter
600g onions, chopped finely
1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock 100ml single cream

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1 Fry the onions in the butter until soft but not brown.
2 Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the stock.
3 Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, then simmer for 30 minutes.
4 Stir in the cream and serve.
If you prefer a slightly thicker soup, after softening the onions sprinkle 1 tbsp of plain flour over the cooking onions and stir well. Add the stock immediately, stirring continuously.

Parsnip Soup

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4–6
30g butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, grated or chopped 500g parsnips, peeled and diced 2 teaspoons honey

1 tsp mild curry powder
800ml vegetable stock
200ml milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
Paprika to sprinkle over the soup before serving

METHOD
1 Fry the onion in the butter for 2 minutes then add the garlic and parsnips.
2 Drizzle the honey over the vegetables and cook gently for 8–10 minutes.
3 Stir in the curry powder and mix in about 100ml of stock.
4 Turn up the heat slightly and add the rest of the stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to simmering and add the milk.
5 Simmer for 15 minutes until the parsnip is tender.
6 Blend to make a fairly smooth texture. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of paprika.

Celariac Soup

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
500g celeriac, scrubbed, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 large leek, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thinly
1 onion, chopped
1 medium-sized potato, peeled and diced 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp single cream

Salt and pepper
Paprika to sprinkle on top when serving

METHOD

1 Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat and add all the vegetables, season with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to sweat for 8– 10 minutes until the vegetables give off some off their liquid.

2 Add the herbs and the stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat as soon as it boils and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

3 When cooked, if you like a smooth soup, blend it, but reheat before serving.
4 Serve the soup with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of cheese on top.