Soups

In Ireland soup is a bit like whiskey, it acts as our internal central heating because of the cold weather we often experience here (best excuse I can come up with *g*) Of all the things you cook in your kitchen, soup is the most personal thing. It needn't have a name, it need never taste the same, and you may never remember how you made it! Some of the best family soups are made just by tossing together the remains of everything in sight, throwing in some herbs and vegetables and finishing off with a big dollop of cream.

Potato Soup

2 oz. butter
2 medium onions
3 large peeled potatoes
2 pints of milk
1 clove crushed garlic
Salt & pepper
1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1 bunch parsley (tied together)
Chopped chives to garnish
Melt the butter in a pan and add the thinly sliced onions and potatoes. Toss well in the butter. Put a lid on the pan and allow the vegetables to soften over a low heat for about 10 minutes (don't let them brown!) Add milk and all other ingredients except chives and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Take out bunch of herbs and put the soup in a food processor for a minute. Serve garnished with chives. This soup is even nicer if you use something like chicken stock.

Vegetable Soup

This is a recipe a very good friend of mine makes all the time and so do I, its the easiest soup I've ever made and if you like garlic then this one is for you!
2 Courgettes
2 Carrots
2 Onions
1 Stock cube (chicken preferably)
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1 pint of boiling water
Very simple, throw everything into a big pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes, season to taste, then put through a blender and serve! Nice big dollop of cream on the top will make this one a winner *g*

Tomato Soup

Some people absolutely hate the sight of tomato soup and some people love it. Not the kind of soup to impress anyone too much at a dinner party but nevertheless very nice all the same !
1 lb ripe tomatoes (or even a can will do!)
2 Onions
2 Carrots
2 Cloves of garlic
1 desertspoon tomato concentrate
2 teaspoons paprika (optional)
A little sugar
Bouquet garni
A small raw beetroot (to give colour)
Salt & pepper
1 can unsweetened condensed milk
Lightly fry all the sliced vegetables in a little butter then add flavourings - sugar, concentrate, paprika, bouquet etc. Cover with stock made from a stock cube or even water and simmer until everything is soft. If you don't fancy beetroot you can just cut it in half instead of slicing it, add it to the soup and then throw it away afterwards, cos its just for flavour and colour. About 1/2 hour later put the soup through a sieve ( remember to take the bouquet garni out first!), return it to the pan away from the heat and slowly add the condensed milk. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with a little cream and parsley.
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