SIMPLE SOUP RECIPES FOR A COLD WINTER'S EVENING - BUTTERNUT SQUASH, LENTILS AND MORE

Vegetable soup is not only healthy for you, but is also warming and delicious. For cold, winter evenings, it is the perfect simple meal to make with family or friends.

Creamy Apple and Butternut Squash Soup, by Liesl Maddock

Ingredients (Serves four)

One butternut squash - peeled and chopped

One apple - peeled and chopped

One potato - peeled and chopped

One sprig of thyme

One cup of vegetable stock

One cup of cream

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Method

Place the prepared potato, butternut squash, apple and sprig of thyme in a pan and bring it all to a boil

Once the vegetables are soft, remove the sprig of thyme and blitz it together.

Add a cup of cream and the vegetable stock and cook for a further three minutes on the hob.

Serve with fresh crusty bread.

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Apple and Lentil Soup, with Spiced Croutons, by Melanie Booth

Ingredients (Serves four)

For the croutons

Five thick slices of bread (you can use stale bread if you want - diced)

Three tbsp olive oil

One tsp cumin

Half tsp herbs du Provence

Quarter tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper

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For the soup

Two tbsp olive oil

One large white onion - diced

Two cloves garlic - crushed

Two tsp cumin

One large handful fresh mint - finely chopped

240g red lentils

120g bulgur wheat

Four apples - cored, peeled and diced

One red pepper - seeded and diced

1.8 litres of vegetable stock

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven). On a baking tray, add all the crouton ingredients, toss to coat, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes. Add the cumin and fry for a further two minutes. Add all the other ingredients (except croutons and parsley) and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer on a medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend the soup partially (you want it thick and mostly smooth, but still with a few chunks remaining in it).

Season it to taste before garnishing with the spiced croutons and freshly chopped parsley.

2023-01-29T04:08:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd