Tag: homemade soup

Posted on in Blog, Recipes

Kawlata – A Traditional Maltese Soup

This traditional Maltese vegetable soup is very popular especially when winter is approaching. It is a mouthful and deliciously combined with pork and sausage. It MUST go on your weekly winter menu!

Ingredients For Maltese Kawlata

  • pork shank (xikel)
  • maltese sausage
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 courgettes, diced
  • a wedge of pumpkin, peeled and diced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1/2 a small white cabbage, cut into squares
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • dash of olive oil

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Wooden spoon

Method

  1. Heat up a large pot on medium heat and add some olive oil. Add the onion, courgettes, pumpkin, carrots, potato and cabbage and give them a good stir. Cover the pot and leave vegetables to sweat for about 10 minutes.
  2. Fill up the pot half way with cold water, add the shank and sausage and continue to fill up the pot with water until it covers everything. Stir in a tbsp of tomato puree and add the vegetable stock cube. Give all a gentle stir.
  3. Cover the pot again and bring to the boil. Once boiling, uncover the pot, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 1.5 – 2 hrs. You can add water along the way if you think it is reducing a lot and you prefer it more watery.

Top tip: When serving, we like to give it some seasoning with sea salt and crushed black pepper corns plus some grated Parmesan cheese, oh yes please!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on in Blog, Recipes

Homemade Asparagus Soup

 

Aspargus soup is one of distinctive soup, if it is done correctly with some patience, you will end up with some amazing flavours, below is very simple recipe were we used only handful of ingredients as we left the ingredients to speak for themselves.

Ingredients for Asparagus Soup

 

  • 600g asparagus, end bit removed and sliced
  • 2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 40g butter
  • 60g plain flour
  • 2 ltr boiling water
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 250ml milk
  • Salt & pepper for seasoning

Equipment

  • 2 medium sized pots
  • Whisker
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle
  • Hand blender

Method:

  1. Start by preparing the stock. Heat up 2 ltrs of water in a medium sized pot. Add the vegetable stock cubes and the lemon juice to the boiling water, cover pot and turn the hob on full heat. Turn off when boiling, give it a good stir with a whisk and leave it on the side. 
  2. Heat a separate pot on a medium to high heat and add butter. Add onions and asparagus to pot (leave 4 asparagus tips on the side for garnish later on). Mix thoroughly and let cook for around 1 minute. Add flour and leave to cook for about 45 seconds whilst stirring it. 
  3. Start adding the stock, ladle by ladle, and stir until the butter and flour are thoroughly dissolved. We do this so we prevent lumps forming in the soup. Once the flour and butter are dissolved, you can add all of your stock at one go. Bring it to the boil and leave it to simmer for around 20 minutes. 
  4. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper as you please. Add milk and blitz it. 

Tip: For the garnish, heat up some butter in a shallow frying pan and add the asparagus tips. Leave to cook for about 20 seconds whilst turning them so that butter touches all sides. Place in middle of plate and you can drizzle some butter from the pan to the plate (as seen on the main picture)

Posted on in Blog, Recipes

Cauliflower Soup

This cauliflower soup recipe requires one large cauliflower, two onions, garlic, leek, celery, potato, vegetable stock, and a bouquet garni. Begin by sautéing the chopped onions, potato, leek, celery, and whole garlic in a medium pot. Add water, stock cubes, and bouquet garni, then simmer. Finally, incorporate cauliflower, cook briefly, season, and blend until smooth.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Soup

  • 1 large Cauliflower
  • 2 medium Onions
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 1 Leek
  • 3 Celery stalks
  • 1 medium Potato
  • 2 Vegetable stock cubes
  • 1 bouquet garni

Equipment

  • Medium pot
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Hand blender

Method

  1. Prepare a medium pot on a medium-high heat and add some oil.
  2. Start peeling and roughly cut the onions and potato, wash and cut leek and celery, leave garlic as whole and add all to the pot; give it a stir. Leave to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add cold water until it covers all vegetables. Add stock cubes and bouquet garni. Turn up the heat until it starts boiling, cover the pan and leave to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
  4. In the meantime cut cauliflower into florets and leave on the side until vegetables in pot are softened. When ready, add cauliflower to pot, turn the heat up until it starts boiling again and then simmer another 7 minutes.
  5. Remove the bouquet garni, season and blend it.
Posted on in Recipes

Carrot Soup (with a hint of curry and thyme)

This carrot soup recipe serves 8-10 portions and requires ingredients like large carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes, and celery, along with curry powder and vegetable stock. The method involves sautéing chopped vegetables in oil, adding spices, covering with water, and simmering for 30 minutes. Finally, remove herbs and blend the soup to the desired consistency, ensuring a flavorful dish.

Ingredients for Carrot Soup (serves approx. 8-10 portions)

  • 6 large Carrots
  • 2 large Onions
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 2 medium Potatoes
  • 3 Celery stalks
  • 1 medium Leek
  • 2 tsp Curry powder
  • 1 Bouquet Garni or 2 tsp mixed Herbs
  • 2 Vegetable Stock cubes
  • 3 Bay leaves
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Sunflower Oil
  • 1 tsp Butter

Equipment

  • Medium pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Hand blender

Method

  1. Prepare a medium pot and put it on a medium to high heat. Add some oil.
  2. Start peeling and roughly cut the onions and add them to the pot.
  3. Peel garlic, leave it as whole and add it to the pot.
  4. Wash thoroughly the celery sticks and leek, roughly chop them and add to the pot as well.
  5. Give all a good stir and add the thyme.
  6. Start peeling and roughly cut the carrots. Add them to the pot and give another stir.
  7. Turn the heat up and leave vegetables to sweat until they soften a little bit.
  8. Peel and wash the potatoes, roughly chop and add to the pot – this is great to thicken the soup.
  9. Add the curry and give all a good stir. Add butter.
  10. When vegetables have softened, add cold water just until all vegetables are covered.
  11. Add the bouquet garni, vegetable stock cubes and bay leaves. Put the lid on, lower the heat and let it simmer gently for 30 mins. After 30 mins you should have all vegetables thoroughly cooked combined with all the flavours. Check this by inserting a fork into the potatoes or carrots (as they are the ones to take more time to cook)
  12. Take out the bay leaves, bouquet garni and thyme springs. You can now blend the soup to your preferred consistency.