There’s been a spate of soup recipes appearing on my blog recently. I’ll tell you for why: because there’s nothing more comforting I would like to have for lunch during the week. Sure, a steaming bowl of cauliflower cheese would be a fantastic winter luncheon but that’s more effort than I am willing to put in for what is effectively the most rushed meal of the week. So instead I take a bit of time at the weekend and batch cook some soup, freeze it and reap the rewards in the weeks to come. This Smoked Pea and Potato Soup is probably one of my favourite soups of all; all the salty, smoky tang as if it had bacon or ham in but it’s vegan.
Moroccan Style Fish and Chips with Young’s
Who doesn’t love fish and chips? That classic British seaside dish, everyone has their favourite sauce or side to go with it; curry sauce, mushy peas, simple salt and vinegar or a good spoonful of tartare sauce. I’m a mushy peas and tartare sauce person I have to admit. When I started thinking about this recipe I wanted to make sure I kept the elements I love about those two sides but add in some influences from somewhere else. For my Moroccan Style Fish and Chips I’m using Young’s Chip Shop Cod Fillets, did you know they are the Nation’s favourite? This recipe is perfect for adding a bit of spice to a classic dish and it’s so easy to cook.
Wild Garlic and Crispy Fried Salami Potato Salad
Meals that are made from a few simple ingredients are invariably some of my favourite dishes of all. A quick scramble around the cupboards and fridge pulling ingredients and ideas together always feels more satisfying; like you’re getting a meal for nothing. My evening meals are always planned in advance so it’s lunchtime where I get my Ready Steady Cook hat on. Sometimes however the scrabbling approach doesn’t yield any particularly tasty sounding results; ham and chocolate spread tostadas anyone? This time however, the combination of ingredients I had resulted in Wild Garlic and Crispy Fried Salami Potato Salad and it was brilliant.
Vegetarian Fish and Chips (with Halloumi)
This is, probably, one of my absolute favourite meals I have ever made. Not only does it look glorious (excuse self-praising) but it is absolutely delicious. A vegetarian fish and chips if you will; a real rival to that classic seaside dish using halloumi instead of fish. With my recipe there is no crispy batter, however, the outside of the halloumi gets all crispy and wonderful so you really don’t miss it. Plus, as there’s no deep fat frying involved it’s much more suited to a weeknight dinner as there’s no faffing around.
Smoked Cheddar and Pickled Onion Turnovers
There’s something you need to know about these turnovers. Although they are most excellent for using up leftovers they are more than worth baking up in their own right. Am I the only one who couldn’t say no if offered Smoked Cheddar and Pickled Onion Turnovers? Didn’t think so. Perfect for using up roast or mashed potatoes, pickled onions or chutneys and whatever hunk of cheese you have lying around. Completely versatile and a little bit too tasty to believe you can knock them up out of some odds and ends.
Chorizo Hash with Purple Spring Onions
Sometimes the vegetables that arrive in my veg box are so stunning that it (almost) seems a shame to eat them. We all know that a romanesco cauliflower is mathematically wonderful and who can say no to a green lemon when it’s yellow inside and full of juice. A bunch of purple spring onions turned up on my doorstep and I knew simplicity would be the way to make the most of them; bold flavours from few ingredients. Chorizo Hash with Purple Spring Onions was certainly the way to go.
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
Summer Green, Smoked Bacon and Potato Bake
Potatoes, sliced and baked with cream have to be one of the best things ever. At least in my opinion. Maybe a little bit of garlic, or some sliced onion, even some smoked bacon added for extra deliciousness. Although undeniably tasty they always feel more suited to the colder months than in the middle of summer. Don’t worry though, I’ve found a way round this; and I had a swanky new baking dish to try out. By adding some summer greens and using a lighter sauce my summer green, smoked bacon and potato bake fills that dauphinoise hole perfectly.
Mushy Peas Potatoes and Ham
I absolutely love peas. For me, a life without peas isn’t worth living. I moved house late last year and I don’t have a freezer; no more emergency frozen peas for me. Happily it’s pea season now so lovely fresh peas are popping up in the veg box, at the farmers’ market and in the garden. If there’s one thing I like even more than peas it’s mushy peas. So for a deliciously easy summer dinner my mushy peas potatoes and ham is perfect.You will need:
- Lots of fresh peas, podded (at least one mug full, the more the better)
- 500g Jersey Royal potatoes, scrubbed, any larger ones halved or quartered
- A few thin slices cured ham (I used Serrano), roughly torn
- A couple fresh mint leaves, shredded
- Small knob of butter
- Salt and pepper
Start by podding the peas. This is one of my favourite kitchen jobs, no sarcasm.
Sweetcorn Chowder
Ingredients
You will need (for two bowls of soup):
| 1 medium onion, finely chopped | £ 0.10 |
| 100g smoked bacon lardons | £ 0.65 |
| Large knob of butter | £ 0.15 |
| 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped | £ 0.50 |
| 250ml vegetable stock | £ 0.10 |
| 400ml milk | £ 0.35 |
| 1 cob sweetcorn, kernels removed | £ 0.25 |
| Small handful chives, chopped | £ 0.25 |
| 1 bay leaf | £ 0.05 |
| Salt and pepper | £ 0.02 |
| Total | £ 2.42 |
Method
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and fry the bacon and onion together until the onion is soft and the bacon turning brown at the edges.
Add the potatoes, bay leaf, stock, milk and salt and pepper and simmer until the potatoes are almost soft, around 10 minutes. Add the sweetcorn and simmer for a further 5 minutes.Check the seasoning, remove the bay leaf and stir in the chives before serving in warmed bowls.
This soup has chunky bits, soft bits, crunchy bits and a full flavoured liquid bit. It’s got sweet, smoky, savoury, salty and soupy. Earthy, fresh, homely and new. What I’m trying to say is that as a bowl of food goes it’s got it all. Not only that but it’s inexpensive too. What more do you need? I think I could eat this for lunch every day and never tire of it. And that’s pretty much what I do as long as the cobs keep coming. Happy days.
Wild Garlic Gnocchi with Mozzarella and Wild Garlic Oil
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
- 300g waxy potatoes
- Small handful (roughly 20-30 leaves) wild garlic, blended or very finely chopped
- 100g plain flour
- Salt and pepper
- 25g Parmesan, grated
- 125g mozzarella
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
If you’re not sure where to find some take a look at this to find places where wild garlic grows near you.
Method
Peel and dice the potatoes to roughly the same size then boil them in salted water until tender.
Drain the potatoes then leave them to cool (take the lid off the pan to allow steam to escape).
Mash the potatoes well then add the flour, most of the wild garlic, plenty of salt and pepper and the Parmesan. Mix together until you have a dough.
Knead the dough lightly then roll into sausage shapes and cut into roughly inch sized pieces. I pressed the top of each gnocchi with a fork, for looks more than anything.
