Featured Soup - Part 1!

Pumpkin Soup

Autumn colours – those wonderfully warm oranges and browns – always get us thinking about pumpkin, the iconic squash which hits the shelves as early as late July and sees us all the way through to November. You can't beat a tasty pumpkin soup as the nights draw in, to soothe the soul and warm the cockles. There's no surprise it's popular for both Halloween and Bonfire Night on November 5th – it's hot and hearty, has glorious colour, and is easy to jazz up with a pinch of paprika and curry powder or, for a more luxurious recipe, swirl with double cream or add grated veggie cheese to melt lusciously into your dish. For dinner parties, serve your favourite pumpkin soup recipe in hollowed-out pumpkin shells as bowls – and something your guests will never forget. Most squash make beautiful soups, so when pumpkin isn't available, or if your local farm shop is offering acorn, gem or crown prince at a snip, why not experiment?

Celery Soup

Hugely popular outside the UK but perhaps not as well known over here, celery soup comes in many forms. For example, there's the thick cream of celery soup with its indulgently silky texture, as popularised in canned form by a certain famous brand. Then, Italian-inspired concoctions where ribs of celery float alongside other vegetables in a sea of tangy tomato broth. Or, there's celery diet soup, a minimal-calorie meal perfect for dieters who need a comforting snack between meals without piling on the pounds. The tough outer stalks of the plant are best for dishes where they'll be removed afterwards, for example if using the celery to make stock. For a softer texture, use the celery heart, cook then blend to a purée. Celery is also indispensable for mirepoix or soffrito, the trinity of celery, onion and carrots that is used as a flavour base for many soups and other dishes in both French and Italian recipes.

Mushroom Soup

Mmm... the marvellous mushroom. There's nothing more autumnal than a steaming bowl of mushroom soup, but with cultivated fungi available all year round there's no season when you can't enjoy this tasty filler. Homemade mushroom soup is always the best, which is why we know you'll love our souper mushroom recipes whatever the weather. Why are mushrooms so wonderful for soup? Some believe it's their high glutamate content – a natural flavour enhancer – that's the secret. Add the chewy, satisfying texture and the variety of strengths from mild or woody to properly pungent, and you have one very tempting fungus indeed!

Cabbage Soup

One of those ideas that has been around for ages, the famous cabbage soup diet recipe has turned a pleasant, low-calorie dish into a crash diet fad. Cabbage has been used in soups and stews for centuries – it adds vibrant green to a mixed vegetable soup or ribollita, contains nutritious vitamins and imparts flavour without adding calories. So it's no wonder the dieters can't get enough. Select the right sort of cabbage for your recipe, but don't be afraid of experimenting. Related vegetables such as kale and pak choi have their own unique flavours and properties, but can also be used in recipes that call for cabbage, to ring the changes.

Pea Soup

When you think of pea soup, do you think of summer? It's the perfect marriage of pea and mint that make us associate this tasty little pulse with days when the sun is shining. Throughout the summer months, peas, whether blended to a vibrant purée or perfectly whole in clear Oriental broth, make a delicious meal that both adults and children love. But remember, peas aren't just for summer. On a chilly evening by the campfire, or when the heating isn't turned up quite hot enough, spiced pea soup recipe is an absolute delight, flooding the system with warmth, not to mention protein and good carbohydrates to keep you healthy. Yes peas!

Favourite Soup Recipes - Part 2 »

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