soup ideas

This slow-cooked pulled pork and bean soup makes a hearty and nutritious dinner. Gluten free too! It's freezable, so make a large batch!

Pulled Pork and Bean Soup

olive oil

pork

salt

¼ tsp pepper

carrots (washed and chopped in half (no need to peel))

onion (cut in half (no need to remove the skin))

celery (broken

garlic (chopped in half (no need to peel))

½ litres chicken stock

onion

yellow pepper (deseeded and chopped)

tomato puree/paste

½ tsp chilli powder

paprika

tsp cumin

tomatoes

tbsp honey

pinto

cannellini

100 g kale ((tough stalks removed), washed and sliced)

Start with the pulled pork. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pan on a high heat. Season the pork with the salt and pepper and place the pork in the pan. Brown on all sides (this should take about 15 minutes altogether).

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic and stock. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat and place a lid on the pan. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 ½ - 4 hours, checking 2 or 3 times during cooking. Top up with boiling water if the liquid level reduces by more than a half.

Once the pork has cooked, leave to cool. Drain the liquid, reserving the stock (discard the vegetables). Allow the stock to cool, then refrigerate. Once chilled, the fat will form a solid layer at the top. You can discard this layer of fat, or use for another dish.

Place the pork on a chopping board. Remove and discard the skin. Shred the meat using two forks, removing any excess fat that may be remaining.

Now make the soup. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat until softened. Add the yellow pepper, tomato puree, chilli powder, paprika and cumin. Heat through for 3 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables. Add the tinned tomatoes, honey and the reserved pork stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Add in the pinto beans, cannellini beans and the pulled pork. Heat on high for 6-7 minutes until heated through. Stir in the kale and cook for a further minute until wilted, then serve.

Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Green Chilli Soup - Don't waste those chicken bones - Turn them into this!

Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Green Chilli soup

chicken carcass

brown onion (chopped in half (no need to peel))

carrots (chopped in half (no need to peel))

tsp salt

tsp black pepper

Water

butter

brown onion (peeled and chopped)

chestnut mushrooms (sliced (Crimini

green chilli (sliced (or two if you like it hotter))

garlic (peeled and minced)

800 ml (3.5 cups) chicken stock

tbsp double/heavy cream

lemon juice

spring onions (scallions and chopped green chilli)

Take your roast chicken carcass and strip off any little bits of meat you can find. You may have to pull it to pieces to get the most meat from it. Wrap up the bits of meat and refrigerate for adding later. Put all the leftover bits of chicken in a large pan. Add the onion, carrots, salt and pepper and cover with water (at least 1.5litres). Bring it to the boil and let it simmer for 2-3 hours - until the stock looks a creamy brown colour and has reduced by at least a third. Turn off the heat and leave to cool slightly, then put a sieve over a large bowl, and empty everything into the sieve. Throw the sieve contents away. You should be left with approx. 800ml/3.5 cups of stock (if not, just top up with a bit of water).

Heat half the butter in a large sauce pan. Add the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, until they're soft and translucent. Add in the mushrooms and cook until they start to go golden brown. Add in the green chilli and garlic, cook for 1 minutes then add the rest of the butter. When the butter has melted, stir in the flour using a whisk and cook for 1 minute, stirring all the time. With the heat on medium-high, start to ladle in the chicken stock, stirring with the whisk all the time. When all the stock has been added, keep stirring until the soup thickens and bubbles gently. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add in the reserved chicken and cream. Stir, then add in the lemon juice. Have a taste to see if if needs a little more lemon juice or salt and pepper.

Divide between three bowls and top with a few chopped spring onions and green chilli slices.

This Creamy Chicken and Tortellini Soup is serious comfort food - and substantial enough for dinner!

Creamy Chicken and Tortellini Soup

carrots

potatoes

celery (sliced)

salt and pepper

thyme thyme

850 ml chicken stock stock

tbsp butter

tbsp plain/all purpose flour

300 ml milk (half

chicken breasts (shredded (or use the meat from a shop-bought rotisserie chicken))

250 g pack of fresh tortellini

thyme

Add the carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, pepper, thyme and stock to a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat.

Take another large saucepan and add in the butter and onions. Heat on medium and cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes until soft. Add in the flour and mix it into the onions and butter using a balloon whisk. It should form into a creamy paste (or roux). Allow the roux to cook for a minute whilst stirring with your whisk, then add in a ladle of the stock from the chicken broth (try to get mostly stock - not the veggies). Stir the broth into the mixture using your whisk. Repeat this until you have ladled out most of the stock from the veggie pan (leaving the veggies behind). Then pour in the milk. Heat through whilst stirring with the whisk. The sauce should thicken slightly as it's heating.

Once the sauce is almost at boiling (don't let it boil) add in the veggies and the shredded cooked chicken. Bring back to almost boiling and add in half the lemon juice. Give it a stir and taste. Add the rest of the lemon juice if needed.

Add the fresh tortellini and heat through for 2-5 minutes (depending on the size of the tortellini) until hot inside.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on some fresh thyme, then serve.

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Pulled Pork and Bean Soup

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