hi Im not really looking for a recipe as such, more the method of getting a good hearty flavourful vege soup, what are your tips?
beebs,
Apr 13, 7:53pm
for example, what veges work, do any not work?
lx4000,
Apr 13, 7:56pm
keep the cooking water from carrots, swede, silverbeet, cabbage, pumpkin, broc and cauli, brussel sprouts and use instead of water. Add celery as that gives it a nice flavour too:) I just put all my veggies in the whizz and grate them all up. Onion and leeks are good to but chop those up along with the greens:)
beebs,
Apr 13, 8:01pm
thank you.....so you obviously make yours with a vege based stock,it seems quite simple to make,i see recipes with a bacon hock as the stock base, would that overpower the veges, im just imagining a really salty bacony flavour to the soup if you used that?
beaker59,
Apr 13, 8:04pm
For the life of me I can't think of a veg that doesn't work in a soup. Some things I may not particularly like but are favourites of others. Maybe Eggplant? though I bet someone has an awesome recipe for Aubergine soup.
I never make vege soup as mine always have a meat stock of some kind but the veg is basically what I have and what is seasonal in my garden or cheap in the shops so right now maybe pumkin and celery would be the main start points.
margyr,
Apr 13, 8:08pm
I cook my veges all together in one pot, heaps of them. cook my bacon hock in another pot for a couple of hours, remove, leave water in the vege and mash all together, then add this to the bacon hock water, put in a packet of kings soup mix minestrone, and let this cook till yum. Add salt to taste, pepper, worchestersauce, soy sauce, cayenne pepper but just a pinch. If you want it thicker still break up some long spag and add this, I also add silverbeet or spinach about 15 mins before serving. I remove all the meat from the hock and have a sandwich with some, and put the rest back into the soup. I dont like using bacon bones, just the hock.
fuzzychow,
Apr 13, 8:24pm
Marmite is a tasty (and vegetarian) alternative to beef-based stocks for flavouring soups and stews.It's especially nice for basic vegetable soups!Use approx one level tsp of marmite for every teaspoon of powdered/cubed stock you would normally use in a recipe.
lx4000,
Apr 13, 8:36pm
I'm veggie, but you can add a bacon hock and still use the cooking water as its full of flavour!! The thing with the bacon is to cook it and take it out and take the skin, fat and bones out:) I would use those big pots, stock pot to make a soup in:) You could also use chicken frames that you can get cheap:)
beebs,
Apr 13, 8:38pm
thanks guys, some great ideas, so do you think chicken carcuses have enough ooomph to flavour up as a base,too, or not recommended? so none of you seem to 'sweat the veges off' first before starting the soup, some smancy fancy chefs on telly seem to do this first?
lx4000,
Apr 13, 8:40pm
chicken frames are great to use!! Thats what they use to make stocks, boiled meat and bone make the stocks you buy!!
You can add things like roasted veggies, caps, it all your choice and try things out and fine what works best with your taste buds:)
Thats the fun of cooking:)
beebs,
Apr 13, 8:42pm
sorry lx4000, obviously the carcuses are ok :)
lx4000,
Apr 13, 8:42pm
You can also add a tin of chopped tomatoes, creamed sweetcorn, beans (not baked beans!! hahaha) Frozen peas and corn can be added at the end also:) Sprinkle with chopped parsley or spring onions before serving. Have fun and try things out:)
lx4000,
Apr 13, 8:44pm
grating and mashing seems to make a big change in flavour also. I never mash my veggie soups, others do. I like to see bits of veggie and the colors of the greens, orange etc in it:)
rainrain1,
Apr 13, 8:51pm
I use the hocks for soup in the Winter, sometimes I brown then in the oven first although that's not necessary. Carrots and onions are always my base veges, then add any veg after that, potato, turnip, pumpkin a bit of parsnip. We don't like celery so much.Sometimes I cheat and add a pkt of king old fashioned chicken soup mix, although mainly as a base when I have no bone stock. Also I sometimes use a whole chicken and then you have a great big hearty bowl of soup with chunks of meat.Don't forget to salt to taste.Always tastes better the next day.....I might go and make some now...it sounds good:-)
cgvl,
Apr 13, 8:57pm
I have used beef and mutton to make soup with also. There are some vegies that just don't make a good soup IMO. Heres my basic winter standby, if you have young children or like a thick soup rather than chunky then grate or mash the vege. Onion,celery, (grate) carrot, swede, pumpkin, parsnip, potato and kumara. Put all this into a large stock pot or I use the preserving pan or you can use the crockpot too. Cover with water and add if desired bacon hock or bones/mutton chops or scrag end or flap/beef stewing steak/chicken. Also can add a clove or 2 of garlic and a tsp or more of curry powder. At this stage do not add salt. Can add split peas (yellow ones) or soup mix if wanted as well. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and let cook for at least 2 hours. Remove meat and if its been cooked long enough it should fall off the bones, chop and return meat to pot. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. You can add things like silverbeet or cabbage just before serving but I'm not fussed on those, also can add tomatoes in the last 30mins of cooking or after 2 hours, if added before sometimes the lentils in the soup mix wont cook and stay hard. This freezes well and tastes great the next day. I usually make enough to freeze 3 or 4 servings.
beebs,
Apr 13, 8:59pm
i want soup now!
rainrain1,
Apr 13, 9:07pm
slurp me too
earthangel4,
Apr 13, 9:20pm
yum,this is on my list for next week,nothing like homemade soup,thank you.
donnabeth,
Apr 13, 9:47pm
I bought a bacon hock yesterday and couldn't wait to stick it in the crockpot with split peas, onion parsley and lovage. This morning I pulled the hock out and and had a taste for breakfast. Yummmy. Right now I want it for lunch as well with crusty rolls.
I grow lovage in the garden and find a big sprig used like a bouquet garni gives a nice flavour like a cross between marmite and celery.(odd I know, but it has a hard to describe flavour) Chop a tablespoon of leaves in with your veges for greenery and flavour.
donnabeth,
Apr 13, 9:54pm
I store all leftover bones and skin and gristly off cuts of cooked and raw meat in bags in the freezer then bring out a bag to make a good hearty stock. Chicken and pork stocks need to be cooled and have a thick layer of fat removed, but what's left is good.
Next time you roast a chicken, look at the nutrients you'rethrowing out. It goes a long way to making another meal.
rainrain1,
Apr 13, 9:58pm
Love the idea of the curry powder in the veg soup cgvl
cookessentials,
Apr 13, 10:10pm
I use a good stock as the base for my soup...usually Campbells. i use a good variety of vegetables such as onion,kumara,carrot,potato,swe- de,celery(including tops) I use a can of chopped tomatoes and also tomato paste to get the right flavour that suits me.
margyr,
Apr 13, 10:18pm
Loveage? had never heard of it but when I first read it in your post I thought you meant you cook with love. Often when people comment to me how nice something is that I have made I say it is because I put my heart and soul and a little bit of me liver into it.
beebs,
Apr 14, 1:53am
thanks guys for all your tips.............. i
kinna54,
Apr 14, 2:02am
I used to make lots of soup when catering and just started everything with a good basic stock, Minestrone made with a good tomato base, was a favourite. The cream style vege soups were also quick and easy.Other favourites were *leek and potato*,and *kumara and bacon* made with chopped bacon pieces; *the final soup is then blended in the processor* so quick and easy and Yum!
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