It’s getting colder in the northern hemisphere. And I don’t like it. But, I do have to admit that I am able to enjoy a cold Autumn Sunday afternoon as it serves a perfect experimental getaway in the kitchen. There is no day during Autumn and Winter that goes by without me craving soup – whether for lunch and/or dinner. Here is a fine selection of very diverse, nutritious, mostly vegetarian, but very tasty soup recipes:
1. Tom Kha Kai
2. Popeye’s Bowl
3. Pumpkin Spice
4. Fennel Rebel
1. Tom Kha Kai
- 400 gr boneless chicken (alternative: tofu or shrimps)
- 1 liter of chicken OR vegetable stock
- 150 gr oyster mushrooms (cut in half)
- 1 stalks of lemongrass (chopped)
- 1 can of pure coconut milk
- 150 gr bean sprouts
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 red pepper
- 1 red chili
- Fresh cilantro
- 2 limes
- salt
Preparation
- Put the chopped chicken pieces in a pan with some oil (preferably coconut oil) along with garlic.
- Add chopped stalks of lemongrass and stir.
- Slowly add the stock one by one through a cup to the pan and let it cook 1 min.
- Then, add the mushrooms, bean sprouts chili, pepper and fish sauce. Reduce the heat.
- After a few minutes, check whether the chicken is eatable. When it is, add the coconut milk and juice extracted from one lime.
- After 20 min. the soup should be ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
- Add salt, in case the salt from the vegetable stock was not sufficient.
2. Popeye’s bowl
- 400 gr fresh and washed spinach
- 1/2 liter of vegetable stock
- 125 gr creme fraiche
- 75 gr coconut oil
- 1 glove of garlic
- 1 onion
- Salt
Preparation
- Melt 1/3 of the coconut oil in a pan and add the onions (chopped in large pieces) and garlic. Increase the heat and stir.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pan along with the spinach and let it cook for about 3 min.
- Add the rest of the coconut oil.
- Use a mixer to mix everything into a thick, but smooth soup.
- Add the creme fraiche (keep a bit left for the garnish).
- Reduce the heat and serve.
- Add salt, in case the salt from the vegetable stock was not sufficient.
3. Pumpkin Spice
- 1 pumpkin or butternut
- 1 liter of vegetable stock
- 1 can of pure coconut oil
- extravirgine olive oil
- 1 tbsp ras el hanout
- 2 tbsp currypowder
- 3 cloves of garlic
- fresh cilantro
- 1 onion
- 1 chili
- Salt
Preparation
- Make sure the pumpkin and/or butternut are chopped into medium pieces (3cm max) and add them to the pan, along with the garlic and onion.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pan along with the spinach and let it cook for about 5 min.
- Add the chili, ras el hanout, curry powder and 2/3 of your cilantro. Let it boil for another 5-10 min.
- Mix everything into a thick, but smooth texture.
- Add the coconut milk.
- Reduce the heat and serve with some drops of extravirgine olive oil and cilantro. If possible, you may want to add some fresh goat’s cheese as a garnish. Great combination!
- Add salt, in case the salt from the vegetable stock was not sufficient.
4. Fennel Rebel
- 2 big fennels
- 1 liter of vegetable stock
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 or 3 potatoes
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp
- 1 onion
- 1 lemon
- Salt
Preparation
- Make sure the fennels are well chopped and add them to the pan, along with the garlic and onion.
- Add the potatoes after 2 min. and add the vegetable stock immediately after.
- Add all the herbs and some lemon juice (1/2) and let it boil for another 10 – 15 min.
- Mix into a thick and smooth texture.
- Add salt, in case the salt from the vegetable stock was not sufficient.
- Take the bayleaf out, this was only useful during the cooking process.
- Garnish with some raw almonds, olive oil and lemon juice.
