Feeling cold? Warm up with some winter soup!
Have you got some left over veggies that you need to use? Feel like being creative? Or are you just plain cold and need a winter warm up?
Every Sunday, I love winding down by making big batches of soup in preparation for the week ahead. I honestly believe that cooking is the best way to relax after a hectic day. It doesn't have to be a chore, it's an art within itself.
My latest favourite is Pumpkin, Sweet Potato and Potato soup. This is the ideal soup for curling up with a book and the cat on your lap. I'm quite relaxed with the ingredients, so add more or less depending on how you feel. Just make sure you save some for lunch!
Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
1-2 large onions, chopped
1 leek, white part only chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed (or you can be cheeky like me and use the garlic pre-minced in the jar)
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1kg peeled pumpkin (jap or butter is fine - I mix both in), diced or chopped roughly
500g of Sweet Potato but more or less by a little bit doesn't matter
2 large potatoes (any type is fine - I use brushed), peeled, diced
1L chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream (for those who are lactose intolerant try the new Zymil cream)
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add the onion and leek and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and the spices and stir for around a minute.
Add the sweet potato, pumpkin, potato and stock and bring to the boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 60 minutes. When a bit cool, blend in batches.
Return to the saucepan and stir through the cream.
Serve with turkish toast fingers and a swirl of cream and a pinch of parmesan. Delish!