Angela Day
CHICKEN RAVIOLI SOUP
Serves 4-6
500g chicken breast fillets
2 litres of chicken stock
30g butter
1 onion, chopped
5ml chopped garlic
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
5ml ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
250g spinach and ricotta ravioli
60ml finely chopped parsley
Poach the chicken fillets in the chicken stock over a low heat for 10 minutes. Remove and shred chicken.
Reserve the stock. Heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion, garlic and carrots for a few minutes. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and bay leaf and stir to combine. Add the stock used to poach the chicken and bring to the boil. Add the chicken. Reduce heat and add the ravioli. Simmer until al dente. Add the parsley and serve.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Serves 6-8
30g butter
4 onions, halved and thinly sliced
5ml coarse salt
2ml pepper
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 bay leaf
15ml brown sugar
1.5 litres of beef stock
1 small baguette, sliced
125ml grated Gruyère cheese
Heat the butter in a pot on medium high heat, add the onions and fry for five minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat and add the sugar and beef stock.
Bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Meanwhile, place the baguette slices on an oven tray and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C until crisp and lightly browned. Place a small amount of cheese on each and grill until melted and bubbly. Serve one crouton per bowl of soup.
ROASTED CARROT SOUP
Serves 6-8
8-10 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
60ml olive oil
salt and pepper
10ml ground cumin
5ml chilli flakes
1 onion, finely chopped
5ml chopped garlic
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 litres of vegetable stock
125ml orange juice
CORIANDER PESTO
300ml fresh coriander
60ml cashew nuts
100ml grated Parmesan
80ml olive oil
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place carrots on an oven tray. Drizzle with half the oil. Add salt, pepper, cumin and chilli flakes.
Cover with tinfoil and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for a further 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pot. Fry the onion, garlic and potato for five minutes.
Add the roasted carrots and stock and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Purée with a hand blender until smooth. Add the orange juice and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with coriander pesto.
PESTO: Place the coriander and the cashews into a blender and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend to form a paste.
SMOKY VEGETABLE AND CHICKPEA SOUP
Serves 6-8
30ml olive oil
125g streaky bacon, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
5ml chopped garlic
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks of celery, chopped
3 courgettes, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1.5 litres of vegetables stock
400g tin of chickpea, drained and rinsed
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
200g baby spinach
125ml grated Parmesan
Heat half the oil in a saucepan, add the bacon and cook for a few minutes, until starting to brown.
Add the remaining oil and fry the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, courgettes and potatoes for 10 minutes. Add the stock, chickpeas and tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Add the spinach and cook for a further five minutes, until wilted. Add Parmesan and serve.
ANGELA DAY
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.
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