PEA SOUP

Ohhhh, it has been hot recently.(Thank you English heatwave!) I'm not moaning, in fact, I'm absolutely loving it!I just struggle to stand by the oven for longer than 10 minutes!So no baking for a bit(sorry husband :)) I much rather spent time in my garden, look after my veg patch, which in result earned me a nice tan :) :) :) yupppie!

Using the last pea pods from my garden I made this lovely soup, which has got lots of benefits - it's super green, it's super healthy, it's super quick and it's super tasty!

RECIPE:

serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

250g shelled peas
1 garlic clove(small), crushed
350g vegetable broth(would be perfect) or water
2 tbsp (heaped) natural yoghurt
pumpkin seeds and thyme to serve with
salt, pepper

METHOD:

1.Place the vegetable broth or water in a medium pan and add peas, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for around 5 minutes.Remove from the heat and place in a blander(or use an immersion blender) and puree until smooth.

2.Serve warm(in this weather - no way!) or room temperature(oh yes - much better) with natural yoghurt, thyme and some pumpkin seeds.

Note:

Raw garlic gives it a strong taste, if you not a big fan of garlic just leave it out or to make it less strong, stir fry it in a pan for a couple of minutes.

CHICKEN & WHITE BEAN SOUP

Flavoursome, heart-warming, comforting soup - ideal for these cold and dark autumn evenings.Enjoy!

Inspiration: bbc good food

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS FOR STOCK:

 2 free range chicken legs(leave out for vegetable stock)
1/2 onion (small), browned sligtly on a clean frying pan
celeriac,(small piece - 30g)
1/2 stalk celery
1 medium carrots
1/2 parsnip
2 dried bay leaves
allspice(2 berries)
3 black peppercorns
2 and 1/2 - 3 l water
 
Method:

1.Cover the chicken legs with water and bring to boil.Skim off any scum that has formed.Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, turn the heat down and simmer for around 1-2 hour.

2.Remove the legs from the pan(we will use them in this recipe), and drain the stock.

Why not double up the ingredients and freeze half of the amount for next time....

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP:

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 free range chicken legs, cooked(I used the ones from home made stock)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots(medium),finely chopped
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1.5 l home-made vegetable or chicken stock
600 g cannellini beans, drained
 a bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped, to serve

METHOD:

1.Heat the oil in a large pan, add onion, fry until soft.

2. Pour stock into the pan, add bay leaf,carrot and celery.Cook for about 15 minutes.

3. Add beans and cook for another 10-15 minutes .Remove the meet off the bone and mix in big chunks into the soup.

4.Served with chopped parsley.

SORREL SOUP

I'm baaaack ;) Few weeks later,3 kilos havier,fresh and rested....I'm finally back.
We had absolutely fabulous holiday in our hometown,in Poland.I wish we could stay a little bit longer....It' such a peaceful and beautiful place,time goes as though in slow motion, nobady's rushing anywhere...
At last I caught up my family and friends - and my jaw it's actually still acking from rattling! ;)
It probably was the laziest holiday we have ever been to - but it was exacly what we needed to recharge the batteries.....breathtaking views,gorgeous weather and FOOD!Delicious food!
Our mum's absolutely spoilt us rotten,(that's were my ''new' few kilos came from).But nothing beats mum's cooking!Seems like even ordinary scrambled eggs taste the best in the world when prepared by my mum.And my mum-in-law cooks as nice!!!They just have magic hands ;)


Have you ever tried sorrel?These green leaves have very unusual,sour taste.I can never get it in England so the sorrel soup is alway on my 'wishlist' when I go back to Poland to visit my family.

RECIPE:

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 big carrot or 2 smaller,sliced 
300 g/11 oz potatoes,diced
1 big bunch of sorrel (around 200-300g/7-10 oz),chopped finely
2 litres/68 oz of vegetable stock
200/7 oz ml single cream(room temperature)
1 spoon of flour mix in 3 spoons of water

NECESSARY: 4-6 boiled eggs, cut into quarters

1.Cook carrot and potatos in stock for a while and add sorrel.Carry on for few minutes until veges are cooked.

2.Add flour mixture to the cream,stir and pour into the soup.Bring it to boil, continuuosly stirring.

3.Serve with boiled egg.


And a little bit of POLAND ;)

TOMATO SOUP WITH FRESH BASIL AND CHEESY PANCAKES

Every time I cook this soup the smell of fresh basil dances around the house stimulating our taste buds.
I serve it with cheese and basil pancakes if we fancy something different for a change.
 It's a very tasteful ''experience''.

RECIPE:

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS :

FOR THE STOCK(if you decide to cook a fresh one)

 2 free range chicken legs(leave out for vegetable stock)
1 onion (small)
celeriac,(cut 1/4 of medium sized)
1 stalk celery
2 medium carrots
1 parsnip
3 dried bay leaves
allspice(5 berries)
6 black peppercorns

1 Put all the ingredients into a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that has formed. Cover and simmer very gently for 1-2 hours.

2. Strain, put cooked carrots and chicken legs aside(you can use it in this recipe)


 FOR THE SOUP:

2 litres stock(vegetable or chicken)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 jar tomato puree(310 g)
fresh basil, chopped
sea salt, freshly grounded
black pepper, freshly grounded

1.Bring stock to boil and add chopped tomatoes and tomato puree.Season well with basil,salt and pepper.

2. I always add cooked carrots(chopped) and chicken legs(also chopped) used for stock.


FOR THE PANCAKES WITH CHEESE AND BASIL FILLING:  (for around 10-12 pancakes)

400 ml milk
160 g plain flour,sifted
40 g melted butter
1 medium free range egg
150 g edam cheese,medium grated
fresh basil, chopped

1 Sift the flour into a medium mixing bowl and add small quantities of the milk still whisk

2. Next add the egg and melted butter to the mixture.Keep whisking to get rid of all the lumps.

3. Get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and cook your pancakes.It should take only half a minute or so to cook,flip over with a palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

4. Prepare filling in the meantime.Grate the cheese and mix it with freshly chopped basil in a     medium bowl.

5.Spead cheese and basil filling on each pancakes(allow them to cool first) and roll.Cut each roll into small squares and thread them onto the bamboo skewers.


It looks like it's very complicated, time-consuming recipe but believe me it's easy-peasy!