SOUPS
Preparation Time 20 minutes • Cooking Time 20 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 255 calories, 5g fat (of which 1g saturates), 16g carbohydrate, 1.4g salt • Dairy Free • Easy
4 skinless chicken breasts
Pesto (see Cook’s Tips), made omitting the Parmesan
1.1 litres (2 pints) chicken stock
100ml (31⁄2fl oz) medium sherry
150g (5oz) exotic mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 red chilli, seeded and halved (see Cook’s Tips)
75g (3oz) conchigliette pasta
2 tbsp soy sauce
a small handful of chopped pak choi or spinach leaves
a dash of Tabasco to serve (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6. Make a few slashes in the chicken breasts, then rub the pesto over the chicken, pushing it into the cuts. Put the chicken into a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the stock into a pan with the sherry and bring to the boil. Add the mushrooms, chilli and pasta. Cover the pan and simmer for 3 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the soy sauce.
3. Slice the chicken into the broth with the pak choi or spinach.
4. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Add a dash of Tabasco if you like it hot.
• Chillies vary enormously in strength, from quite mild to blisteringly hot, depending on the type of chilli and its ripeness. Taste a small piece first to check it’s not too hot for you.
• Be extremely careful when handling chillies not to touch or rub your eyes with your fingers, as they will sting. Wash knives immediately after handling chillies for the same reason. As a precaution, use rubber gloves when preparing them if you like.
• Pesto
Put a 20g pack roughly chopped basil into a food processor. Add 25g (1oz) finely grated Parmesan, 50g (2oz) pinenuts and 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and whiz to a rough paste. Alternatively, grind in a pestle and mortar. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Preparation Time 5 minutes • Cooking Time 15 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 440 calories, 19g fat (of which 4g saturates), 42g carbohydrate, 1g salt • Easy
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp tom yum (or Thai red curry) soup paste
900ml (11⁄2 pints) hot chicken stock
400ml can unsweetened coconut milk
200g (7oz) thread egg noodles
2 × large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
350g (12oz) pack stir-fry vegetables
salt and ground black pepper
coriander leaves to garnish
prawn crackers to serve
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the soup paste and fry for about 10 seconds. Add the hot stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water according to the pack instructions.
3. Add the chicken strips to the simmering soup and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stir-fry vegetables, mix well and season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain the noodles, then divide among four large warmed bowls and pour the soup on top. Garnish with the coriander and serve with prawn crackers.
Preparation Time 30 minutes • Cooking Time 11⁄4 hours • Serves 4 • Per Serving 18 calories, 1g fat (of which trace saturates), 1g carbohydrate, 3.1g salt • Dairy Free • A Little Effort
1.7 litres (3 pints) well-flavoured fat-free chicken stock
350g (12oz) skinless chicken breast, minced
2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
2 medium egg whites, lightly whisked
2 medium egg shells, crushed (see Cook’s Tip)
a dash of sherry or Madeira (optional)
salt and ground black pepper
1. Heat the stock in a pan. Combine the chicken and vegetables in another large pan, then mix in the egg whites and shells.
2. Gradually whisk in the hot stock, then bring to the boil, whisking. As soon as it comes to the boil, stop whisking, reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 1 hour. By this time, a crust will have formed on the surface and the stock underneath should be clear.
3. Carefully make a hole in the crust and ladle the clear stock out into a muslin-lined sieve over a large bowl. Allow to drain through slowly, then put back into the cleaned pan and reheat. Check the seasoning and flavour with a little sherry or Madeira, if you like.
Egg shells and whites are used to make soups, such as consommé, clear. When heated slowly, they trap the impurities as they coagulate, forming a scum layer on the top of the soup. Once the layer of scum has formed, the soup is gently strained through kitchen paper or a cloth, leaving behind a clear soup.
Preparation Time 10 minutes • Cooking Time 30 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 351 calories, 6g fat (of which 1g saturates), 48g carbohydrate, 2.7g salt • Dairy Free • Easy
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 celery sticks, chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 125g (4oz) each, cut into strips
1 litre (13⁄4 pints) hot chicken or vegetable stock
100g (31⁄2oz) bulgur wheat
2 × 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes
25g (1oz) flat-leafed parsley, roughly chopped
wholegrain bread and Hummus (see Cook’s Tip) to serve
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onion, celery and chilli and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the chicken strips and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until golden.
2. Add the hot stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the bulgur wheat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the cannellini beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Ladle into four warmed bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with bread and hummus.
Hummus
Soak 150g (51⁄2oz) dried chickpeas overnight, then drain and rinse. Put into a large pan and cover with 600ml (1 pint) water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 21⁄2–3 hours until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Keep aside 2–3 tbsp chickpeas for garnishing. Put the remaining chickpeas into a blender with 2 large garlic cloves, the juice of 2 lemons, 75ml (21⁄2fl oz) olive oil and 150ml (1⁄4 pint) of the cooking liquid. Whiz to a purée. Add 150ml (1⁄4 pint) tahini paste (sesame seed paste) and whiz to a soft dropping consistency. Sprinkle with olive oil, freshly chopped flat-leafed parsley and cayenne pepper or paprika to serve.
Preparation Time 30 minutes • Cooking Time 15 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 229 calories, 7g fat (of which 1g saturates), 16g carbohydrate, 1.2g salt • Dairy Free • A Little Effort
1 tbsp olive oil
300g (11oz) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium red chillies, seeded and finely diced
1 litre (13⁄4 pints) chicken stock
250g (9oz) each green beans, broccoli, sugarsnap peas and courgettes, sliced
50g (2oz) vermicelli or spaghetti, broken into short lengths
salt
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chicken, garlic and chillies and cook for 5–10 minutes until the chicken is opaque all over.
2. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then add the vegetables. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles or pasta in a separate pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 5–10 minutes until al dente, depending on the type of noodles or pasta.
4. Drain the noodles or pasta, add to the broth and serve immediately.
Preparation Time 10 minutes • Cooking Time 45 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 199 calories, 12g fat (of which 3g saturates), 12g carbohydrate, 0.1g salt • Gluten Free • Easy
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 stripped roast chicken carcass
150–200g (5–7oz) cooked chicken, roughly chopped
200g (7oz) mashed or roast potato
1 tbsp double cream
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and thyme and fry gently for 20–30 minutes until soft but not brown. Add the bay leaf, chicken carcass and 900ml (11⁄2 pints) boiling water to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Remove the bay leaf and chicken carcass and add the chopped cooked chicken and potato. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Put the soup into a food processor or blender and whiz until smooth, then pour back into the pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the cream and serve immediately.
Preparation Time 30 minutes • Cooking Time about 11⁄4 hours • Serves 6 • Per Serving 340 calories, 16g fat (of which 9g saturates), 26g carbohydrate, 0.3g salt • Easy
1 small chicken, about 1kg (21⁄4lb), cut into pieces
300ml (1⁄2 pint) dry white wine
a few black peppercorns
1–2 red chillies, seeded
2 bay leaves
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
4 carrots, 3 roughly chopped and 1 cut into fine matchsticks
3 onions, 2 quartered and 1 chopped
75g (3oz) pasta shapes
75g (3oz) butter, plus extra to grease
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cos lettuce, finely shredded
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
4 thick slices white bread
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
salt and ground black pepper
1. Put the chicken pieces into a pan in which they fit snugly. Add the wine, peppercorns, chillies, bay leaves, rosemary and celery. Add the roughly chopped carrots, quartered onions and about 900ml (11⁄2 pints) cold water, which should almost cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
2. Leave to cool slightly, then transfer the chicken to a plate and strain the stock. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the bones and tear into bite-size pieces. Put to one side.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) mark 6. Pour the stock into the pan. Bring back to the boil, then add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Heat 25g (1oz) butter in a clean pan. Add the chopped onion and a crushed garlic clove and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the carrot matchsticks and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, lettuce and parsley. Heat gently, stirring, until the lettuce has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet. Mix together 50g (2oz) softened butter and the remaining garlic in a small bowl. Remove the crusts from the bread and spread the slices with the garlic butter, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Cut into squares and put on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a little apart. Cook in the oven for 8–10 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
6. Serve the chicken soup with the hot garlic and Parmesan croûtons.
Preparation Time 10 minutes • Cooking Time 30 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 398 calories, 12g fat (of which 6g saturates), 44g carbohydrate, 0.5g salt • Easy
3 tbsp plain flour
150ml (1⁄4 pint) milk
1.1 litres (2 pints) home-made chicken stock
125g (4oz) cooked chicken, diced
1 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp single cream
salt and ground black pepper
croûtons and fresh parsley sprigs to garnish
1. Put the flour into a large bowl, add a little of the milk and blend until it makes a smooth cream.
2. Bring the stock to the boil, then stir it into the blended mixture. Put back in the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken, lemon juice and nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix the rest of the milk with the cream and stir in, then reheat without boiling.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, sprinkle with croûtons and parsley sprigs and serve.
Serve this smooth, rich soup with warmed bridge rolls, before a main course of plain roast or grilled meat.
Preparation Time 20 minutes • Cooking Time 40 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 335 calories, 15g fat (of which 5g saturates), 31g carbohydrate, 0.3g salt • Easy
2 tbsp olive oil
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
150g (5oz) carrots, roughly chopped
150g (5oz) waxy salad potatoes, thinly sliced
275g (10oz) chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 litres (31⁄2 pints) hot chicken stock
75g (3oz) frozen peas
salt and ground black pepper
a handful of chives, roughly chopped, to garnish (optional)
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
100g (31⁄2oz) plain flour
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 medium egg, well beaten
25g (1oz) butter, melted
a splash of milk
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the celery, carrots and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to caramelise around the edges. Add the chicken and fry for 3 minutes or until just starting to turn golden. Pour in the hot stock and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming the surface occasionally to remove any scum.
2. To make the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl, then season with pepper. Combine the egg, melted butter and milk in a separate bowl, then stir quickly into the flour to make a stiff batter.
3. Drop half-teaspoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the soup, then cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the peas and heat through. Check the seasoning, sprinkle with pepper and serve garnished with chives, if you like.
Preparation Time 20 minutes • Cooking Time about 30 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 384 calories, 15g fat (of which 3g saturates), 36g carbohydrate, 2g salt • Dairy Free • Easy
vegetable oil for shallow- or deep-frying
225g (8oz) firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 1cm (1⁄2in) cubes
2.5cm (1in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2.5cm (1in) piece fresh or dried galangal, peeled and thinly sliced (optional, see Cook’s Tip)
1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lemongrass stalks, halved lengthways and bruised
1 tsp chilli powder
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
275g (10oz) cooked chicken, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces
175g (6oz) cauliflower, broken into small florets and any thick stems thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
600ml (1 pint) coconut milk
600ml (1 pint) chicken or vegetable stock
a few green beans, trimmed and halved
125g (4oz) fine or medium egg noodles
125g (4oz) peeled prawns (optional)
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
75g (3oz) bean sprouts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1. Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 180°C (test by frying a small cube of bread; it should brown in 40 seconds). Fry the tofu, in batches, for 1 minute or until it is golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the ginger, galangal, if using, garlic, lemongrass, chilli powder, turmeric and chicken pieces and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower, carrot, coconut milk and stock or water. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the noodles for about 4 minutes or according to the pack instructions. Drain the noodles and add them to the soup with the prawns, if using, the tofu, spring onions, bean sprouts and soy sauce. Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.
Dried galangal, which is similar in flavour to root ginger, needs to be soaked for 30 minutes before using. It is used chopped or grated in many Thai, Indonesian and Malay dishes.
Preparation Time 30–40 minutes • Cooking Time 1 hour 20 minutes • Serves 8 • Per Serving 280 calories, 4g fat (of which 1g saturates), 40g carbohydrate, 0.2g salt • Easy
1.4kg (3lb) oven-ready chicken
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
25g (1oz) butter
900g (2lb) leeks, trimmed and sliced
125g (4oz) ready-to-eat dried prunes, sliced
salt and ground black pepper
freshly chopped parsley to serve
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
125g (4oz) self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
50g (2oz) shredded suet
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp freshly chopped thyme
1. Put the chicken into a pan in which it fits quite snugly, then add the chopped vegetables, bay leaf and chicken giblets (if available). Pour in 1.7 litres (3 pints) water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the leeks and fry gently for 10 minutes or until softened.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and leave until cool enough to handle. Strain the stock and put to one side. Strip the chicken from the bones and shred roughly. Add to the stock with the prunes and softened leeks.
4. To make the dumplings, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the suet, herbs and about 5 tbsp water to make a fairly firm dough. Lightly shape the dough into 2.5cm (1in) balls. Bring the soup just to the boil and season well. Reduce the heat, add the dumplings and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for about 15–20 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Serve the soup sprinkled with chopped parsley.
Make the stock a day ahead, if possible, then cool overnight. The following day, remove any fat from the surface.
Preparation Time 20 minutes • Cooking Time about 35 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 255 calories, 10g fat (of which 1g saturates), 19g carbohydrate, 0.7g salt • Dairy Free • Easy
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, about 300g (11oz), or the same quantity of tofu, cut into strips
5cm (2in) piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1–2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
75g (3oz) long-grain wild rice
1.1 litres (2 pints) hot weak chicken or vegetable stock
200g (7oz) mangetouts, sliced
juice of 1 lime
4 tbsp freshly chopped coriander to garnish
1. Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the chicken or tofu and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Add the ginger and spring onions and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1–2 minutes to warm the spices.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat in the curry paste. Pour the hot stock or boiling water into the pan, stir once and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the mangetouts and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Just before serving, squeeze in the lime juice and stir to mix.
4. To serve, ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the coriander.
Preparation Time 5 minutes • Cooking Time 45 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 330 calories, 10g fat (of which 5g saturates), 52g carbohydrate, 0.2g salt • Gluten Free • Easy
25g (1oz) butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
225g (8oz) Brussels sprouts
900ml (11⁄2 pints) chicken stock made from leftover carcass and any leftover chicken meat
400g can whole chestnuts, drained
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
salt and ground black pepper
chicken stock or milk to finish
fresh thyme sprigs to garnish
1. Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Trim the sprouts and cut a cross in the base of each one. Add to the onion, then cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently.
3. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then add the remaining ingredients, with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Leave the soup to cool a little, then transfer the soup in batches in a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth. Put back into the rinsed-out pan and reheat gently, then thin down with either stock or milk, according to taste.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning. To serve, ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with thyme sprigs.
Serve for an informal family lunch with hot garlic bread, wholemeal toast, cheese on toast or hot sausage rolls.
Grilled Garlic Bread
Preheat the grill. Cut 1 large crusty loaf into 2cm (3⁄4in) thick slices. Put 175g (6oz) cubed butter and 3 crushed garlic cloves into a small pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Season with salt and pepper. Dip a bunch of stiff-stemmed thyme sprigs into the melted butter and brush one side of each slice of bread. Put the slices, buttered side down, on the grill rack. Cook for 1–2 minutes until crisp and golden. Brush the uppermost sides with the remaining butter, turn over and cook the other side. Serve immediately.
Preparation Time 10 minutes, plus soaking • Cooking Time 16–20 minutes • Serves 4 • Per Serving 244 calories, 6g fat (of which 3g saturates), 32.5g carbohydrate, 1.7g salt • Gluten Free • Easy
125g (4oz) green or yellow split peas, soaked overnight in double their volume of cold water
25g (1oz) butter
225g (8oz) onions, chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
40g (11⁄2 oz) pearl barley
2 litres (31⁄2 pints) ham or chicken stock
1 bouquet garni (see Cook’s Tip)
225g (8oz) potatoes, cut into chunks
400g (14oz) carrots, cut into chunks
150g (5oz) each cooked chicken and ham, cut into chunks
150g (5oz) baby spinach leaves
salt and ground black pepper
fresh coriander sprigs to garnish
50g (2oz) finely grated Parmesan to serve (optional)
1. Drain the split peas, put into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the peas and discard the liquid.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Add the ground coriander and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the split peas, pearl barley, stock and bouquet garni to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the peas and barley are tender. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for 5–10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the chicken, ham and spinach to the pan and bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with coriander sprigs, season with pepper and serve with grated Parmesan, if you like.
To make a bouquet garni, tie together a sprig each of thyme and parsley with 1 bay leaf and 1 celery stick.
