Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon

SERVES: 4 
PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES
COOKING: 20 MINUTES


Ingredients 


4 teaspoons oil
4 rashers bacon, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1.5 kg sebago (starchy) potatoes, peeled & chopped
2 sprigs thyme
2 litres chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cream

Method


Heat 2 teaspoons oil over high heat, add the chopped bacon and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until crisp. Set aside


Heat another 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan, add chopped onion, and garlic, cook for 1 minute.


Add potatoes, thyme, chicken stock & water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.


Blend with a hand held blender until smooth and stir through cream. 


Top with bacon to serve.

My Notes


When I mentioned that I was going to make this soup there was a turned up nose! I know it looks and sounds fairly bland, but WOW this soup was really, really delicious and next time I make it there will be a race to the table and definitely no turned up noses :) 

This recipe is from Donna Hay Magazine.....I just love it! And there is many more recipes yet to come from it :) 


I haven't bought a cooking mag at all this month! the ones I have have some great stuff in them that I want to make...mind you I HAVE got to have the new Masterchef mag, it has macarons on the front YUM 

Roasted Pumpkin Kumara Shallot Garlic & Cumin Soup

Roasted Pumpkin Kumara Shallot Garlic & Cumin Soup
SERVES: 6 
PREPARATION: 15 MINS
COOKING: 1 1/2 HOURS


MMMMM it is that time of the week for Zuppa Depenzo! (depends what's left in the fridge!) I tend to just make these up as I go along. :) 

Ingredients
850g chopped & peeled butternut pumpkin
600g chopped & peeled kumara (sweet potato) 
5 large shallots (or 10 smallish ones) 
1 bulb garlic (cloves unpeeled)
1tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil 
salt & pepper 
2 litres of chicken stock. (Home made is great!) 
parsley 
sour cream


Method
Preheat oven to 200C
Place all vegetables including garlic into heavy based roasting tray and toss with  olive oil and cumin seeds. Season with salt & pepper 
Roast in oven for 1 hour, turning at 30 minutes. Remove roasted garlic from skins. 
Place chicken stock and roasted vegetables into large saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool slightly 
Place into blender until smooth. (keep your hand on the top when hot as the lid will BLOW off, and then you will have soup ALL over your kitchen!) Trust me I have done it lol 


Serve with chopped parsley a dollop of sour cream and crusty bread.  

Zuppa Depenzo!

Well ok so it's not out of a magazine, It's just my end of the week get rid of everything in the fridge soup! therefore Zuppa (Soup) Depenzo (Depends whats left in the fridge!) :)

When the weather starts getting a bit chilly a big pot of soup and some warm crusty bread is the way to go! So here is my recipe from whats left over for this weeks zuppa :)

Chicken & Vege Soup

Ingredients
6 big fat chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 large carrots (cubed)
4 sticks of celery
3 large onions
2 medium potatoes
1 cup diced kumara (sweet potato)
1 cup diced pumpkin
few sprigs of thyme
1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 litres of chicken stock (bought is ok but home made stock is MUCH better)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of uncooked small pasta
1 can chick peas
1 can butter beans
1/2 head of broccolli diced (including the stalk)
1 cup frozen corn kernals
1/2 cup spring onions
1 diced zucchini


crusty bread to serve
parsley
parmesan cheese to sprinkle


Method

heat olive oil in large saucepan

add chicken drumsticks and brown

remove drumsticks and set aside

place celery, carrots, onions & thyme into saucepan and saute until slightly coloured

add potato, kumara & pumpkin and continue sauteing for 5 minutes

return chicken drumsticks to saucepan

add stock & peppercorns and simmer for 30 minutes

after 30 minutes add tinned tomatoes & pasta

simmer for 20 minutes

after 20 minutes add chick peas & butter beans

simmer for 10 minutes

at this point if the soup is to be eaten then and there I add the broccoli, corn, spring onions & zucchini and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

If the soup is to be eaten the following day I turn off the heat and add the broccolli, corn, spring onions & zucchini.

Serve with crusty warm bread and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and parmesan.....YUM