soups.

FIERY LENTIL AND CHORIZO SOUP.

THIS SOUP IS COSY AND FULL OF CHARACTER; IT’S YOUR BEST MATE ON A CHILLY WINTERY EVENING WHEN YOU WANT TO BE CURLED UP SOMEWHERE WARM AND COMFY.

SERVES 2 | PREPARATION TIME 5–10 minutes | COOKING TIME 15 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1–2 tsp harissa paste (or to taste) (alternatively, use 1 tsp dried chilli flakes)
• 200 g chorizo sausage, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 × 410 g tin peeled, chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 × 400 g tin lentils, drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp each roughly chopped fresh basil and parsley, for serving
• crumbled feta cheese, for serving (optional)

WHAT TO DO

1. Add the olive oil to a pan on medium-high heat and fry the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the harissa paste and chorizo and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for another minute, then add the stock and sugar. Leave to simmer for another 10 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat and serve immediately in warmed bowls with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and feta cheese (if using). You can also serve toasted pita breads or any fresh crusty bread on the side.

SPICY SPLIT PEA SOUP.

WHEN THE FIRST CHILL OF AUTUMN HITS THE AIR, HEAD ON OVER TO YOUR KITCHEN AND RUSTLE UP A POT OF THIS OH-SO-HEARTWARMING SPLIT PEA SOUP. IT’S TOTALLY UNFUSSY AND WILL BUBBLE AWAY MERRILY WHILE YOU PUT YOUR FEET UP. LEKKER NÈ?

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 5–10 minutes | COOKING TIME approx. 1¹⁄₂ hours (mostly unattended)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• ¹⁄₂ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
• 500 g yellow split peas, rinsed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• sugar to taste
• lemon juice to taste
• fresh coriander leaves, for garnishing
• fresh crusty bread, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and fry the onion, spices and ginger until the onion has softened but not coloured, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another minute.
2. Add the chicken stock and the split peas, stir and leave to simmer gently, covered, for 1¹⁄₂ hours, or until the split peas are cooked through. Add a little extra water to the soup if it becomes too thick during the cooking process.
3. Add salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice to taste. Remove from the heat and blend to your desired consistency, loosening with hot water if necessary. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh coriander leaves and fresh crusty bread.

ROAST CHICKEN AND FENNEL SOUP.

THIS IS OUR GO-TO WEEKNIGHT SOUP, AND IT NEVER GETS OLD. IT’S AS BEGUILING ON A CHILLY WINTER’S NIGHT AS IT IS ON GLORIOUSLY SUNNY SUMMER DAYS. IT’S ALSO YOUR LEFTOVER ROAST CHICKEN’S NEW BEST FRIEND.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes | COOKING TIME 20 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 3–4 baby leeks, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium-sized fennel bulb, chopped
• 4 cups (1 L) good-quality chicken stock
• 1 leftover roast chicken carcass
• about 1 cup leftover roast chicken meat
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp torn fresh parsley or basil, for serving
• 1 tsp lemon zest, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion and leeks for 7–10 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the celery and fennel and cook for another 3–4 minutes; you want them to retain a little crunch.
3. Add the chicken stock, chicken carcass and meat and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully remove the chicken carcass and any other bones. Season to taste.
4. Serve in warmed bowls with a scattering of fresh herbs and some lemon zest.

Notes: For a bulkier version, add ¹⁄₂ cup pearled barley and leave to simmer a little longer, until the barley is cooked but still slightly al dente.
You can blend this soup until smooth, although I prefer the broth-style. This soup freezes for up to two months.

QUICK THAI NOODLE SOUP

with Chicken Dumplings.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes (plus fridge resting time for dumplings, 30 minutes or up to 1 day in advance)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

DUMPLINGS

• 300 g chicken mince
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander or basil
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
• 1 egg or 1–2 Tbsp cornflour, for binding
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

SOUP

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 heaped Tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken or vegetable stock
• 200 g egg noodles (optional)
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 100 g sugar snap peas, halved lengthways
• 100 g baby pak choi, halved lengthways
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce, or more to taste
• 1 tsp sugar, or more to taste
• juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
• handful fresh coriander or Thai basil, roughly chopped, for garnishing

WHAT TO DO

1. To make the dumplings, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. With slightly wet hands, roll into golf ball-sized rounds and set aside on a clean plate in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and fry the curry paste for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the ginger and garlic, and fry for another minute, then add the stock and bring to a boil.
3. Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the chicken dumplings. The liquid should not be bubbling too vigorously at this stage as the dumplings might break apart. Leave the dumplings to poach in the liquid for 6–8 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. Add the remaining soup ingredients up to and including the sugar and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the lime juice, check for seasoning and balance of flavours, adjust where necessary and serve immediately in warmed bowls, garnished with a sprinkling of fresh coriander or Thai basil.

Notes: For a speedier version, you can leave out the dumplings and just poach chicken breast fillet strips directly in the soup for 5–7 minutes before adding the vegetables and serving.
Add more or less Thai red curry paste, according to taste and brand. Use 4 cups (1 L) stock and 1 × 410 ml can coconut milk for a creamier version of this soup.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT AND PEAR SOUP

with Candied Bacon Croutons.

I KNOW, BUTTERNUT SOUP. THIS COULD VERY POSSIBLY BE UNDERWHELMING. BUT HERE, THE PEAR ADDS A LOVELY SWEET FRESHNESS AND LIGHTNESS, AND THE SPICES BRING ANOTHER LEVEL OF FLAVOUR THAT I ALWAYS GET EXCITED ABOUT. OH, AND LET’S NOT FORGET THOSE EXQUISITE LITTLE BITS OF STICKY MAPLE SYRUP BACON THAT WE’RE SCATTERING OVER THE TOP.

SERVES 3–4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 1 hour (mostly unattended)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 900 g butternut, peeled and cubed (it’s a good idea to buy ready-peeled and cubed in this case)
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¹⁄₄ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¹⁄₂ tsp ground coriander (you could also use cumin)
• 1 fresh chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• about 3 cups chicken stock made with just-boiled water

BACON CROUTONS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3–4 rashers bacon, roughly chopped
• 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup
• fresh crusty bread for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Drizzle the butternut cubes and onion with the olive oil, sprinkle over the spices and chilli, season lightly with salt and pepper and roast until lightly golden and the butternut has cooked through, about 45 minutes. Add the pear pieces about halfway through so that they don’t burn.
3. Add the butternut, onion and pears to a blender and pour in the hot stock, starting with 2 cups. Blend until smooth, adding the final cup if necessary, depending on your preferred consistency. Season to taste and set aside until serving.
4. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan until very hot. Fry the bacon bits until crispy, pour out any excess oil, then pour over the maple syrup, remove from the heat and set aside until serving.
5. Scatter the crispy maple bacon over the soup before serving in warmed bowls with fresh crusty bread on the side.

Note: This soup freezes well for up to two months.

ARRABBIATTA SEAFOOD SOUP

with Parmesan Ciabatta Toasts.

YUM. I LOVE THE HIT OF CHILLI THAT COMES WITH AN ARABIATTA SAUCE (IT TRANSLATES TO ‘ANGRY’ IN ITALIAN). I ALSO THINK THIS SAUCE IS A BRILLIANT WAY TO MAKE THE SEAFOOD SHINE.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 5–10 minutes | COOKING TIME 25 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped or ¹⁄₂ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 × 410 g cans peeled, chopped tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ¹⁄₂ tsp dried
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup fish or vegetable stock
• 400 g firm white fish fillets, without skin, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 750 g fresh mussels with shells intact and rinsed
• 400 g calamari, rinsed and roughly sliced into 1 cm rings or slices
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• handful roughly chopped fresh basil or parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

CIABATTA TOASTS

• 2 ciabatta rolls
• 1 clove garlic
• olive oil, for drizzling
• Parmesan shavings

WHAT TO DO

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic and chilli for 2 minutes, or until the garlic has softened but not coloured.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, thyme, sugar and stock, and leave to simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
3. Add the fish fillets, put the lid on, and leave to poach for about 4 minutes, or until they are almost cooked through. Add the mussels and calamari and poach for another 3–4 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Remove from the heat, discard any mussels that have not opened, stir through the lemon juice and fresh basil or parsley and add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. In the meantime, preheat the oven’s grill to the highest setting, slice the ciabatta rolls in half (or four to six slices), and place under the grill for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove, rub gently two or three times on each side with the garlic clove, drizzle with olive oil and top with Parmesan shavings.
5. Spoon the seafood in its sauce into warm soup bowls, and serve with the ciabatta toasts on the side. Alternatively, serve over angelhair pasta.