Monday 21 January 2013

Store Cupboard/Bottom of the fridge Soup

The basis of this soup is Minestrone - a quick but hearty soup. I named it "bottom of the fridge" soup years ago, when it was made with what ever ingredients I had knocking about at the end of the week.

Note:
I have typed up the recipe with a spoonie in mind see this page (Skill level & Spoon Usage)
If you dont have to pace activities then ignore all the tips, hints and alternatives and just follow the recipe straight through

Cooking skill - Novice
Spoon Usage- 2 spoons (takes about half hour with a rest)
Total cost £2.00 approximately (as i used up stuff i had) so 50p per portion 

Serves 4 adults 

Ingredients - I used
1 Tin chopped tomatoes (use 1Lb fresh if you have them)
1.5 (ish) Litres fresh chicken stock - make equivalent with a stock cube if you don't have fresh stock
1 onion
small handful of long spaghetti broken into short lengths 
2 - 3 handfuls frozen mixed veg carrots and peas (use 1 large fresh carrot if you have one)
1 small courgette
half small cabbage - prefferably savoy, kale will do just aswell
25G (2 handfuls) soup mix - red lentils, pearl barley
2 cloves garlic
Dried basil
grated hard cheese

The beauty of this recipe is other than the tomatoes and stock you can pretty much put any veg in it - hence its name store cupboard/Bottom of the fridge Soup

Gadgets - Utensils - this recipe requires a level of dexterity or electric chopper
You replace whole veg for fresh or frozen pre-cut veg
Large Pan
sharp knife or electric food chopper
garlic press
chopping board

Prep - 5 minutes
Chop the onion - can roughly chop if you prefer chunky soup
dice the carrot
chop the courgette - decent sized chunks 
shred cabbage
peel and chop garlic - or have it ready for squishing in the press
open can of tomatoes
Make the stock if you don't have fresh
  
Rest - I sat down for 10 mins (but take as long as you need, just pop the prepped veg in the fridge)

Cooking 

1. Heat the pan for a few minutes - add a small amount of oil or water, add the onions and lower the heat. you want to soften them but not brown them too much.

2. once the onions are soft (see through|) add the:
carrots
courgettes
garlic
Peas

Give it a good stir and cook on a low heat


sweat down the veg for 2-3 minutes

3. Add the:
    Tomatoes
    Stock 
    * pearl barley, red lentils or dried scotch broth mix (optional)
    Season to taste with salt and pepper
    Pinch of basil
    Add a dollop of tomatoes puree - about a dessert spoon
    Spaghetti broken into small pieces about 2" long 

turn up the heat and bring to the boil, once boiling turn down to a fast simmer (so its not boiling madly but still bubbling) cook for 10 minutes - until the lentils and pearl barley are plump

Hubble bubble


While the soup bubbles - REST

4. stir the soup and add the cabbage - taste and add  more seasoning if you think its needs it  - leave the soup of cook for a further 5 minutes - can leave it for 10 if you prefer your cabbage well cooked and soft. and yes Sit down and pop your feet up

5.- Turn off the soup and serve

6. you can add grated cheese, some fresh basil or croutons if you fancy it

Finished soup

Please let me know if you enjoyed it, and if writing the recipe out in this way was helpful.


 




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