Minnie's Soup Kitchen

French Country Soup Today's soup was French country soup from a recipe by Marie-Pierre Moine . I made it yesterday, having chosen the recipe on the basis that I need to make more progress through the winter vegetables section of T he Soup Book . Also, the ingredients were simple (leeks, potato, carrots and stock) and wouldn't take too long to prepare. I was having a busy weekend and was trying to use my time well. Leeks, potatoes and carrots According to the introduction, this mixed vegetable potage is "traditional family fare [and] is ladled out of a tureen into wide shallow bowls as a starter all over [France]." The spouse, younger offspring and I ate our soup this evening and while they liked it, I was not overly impressed. I think I like richer, more flavoursome soups. I didn't use a tureen, but I don't think it would have made any difference to the taste. Having checked on line, I find that other recipes include meat: chicken, beef shanks, etc....

Pot au Feu I followed Marie-Pierre Moine 's recipe for pot au feu yesterday and the spouse, younger offspring and I had the resulting soup for our dinner this evening. The introduction says: "This classic French soup takes time to make, but is well worth waiting for." The listed ingredients include braising steak, a carrot, turnips, a waxy potato, a Spanish onion, garlic, cloves, a leek, celery, bay leaves, thyme and parsley. It is also suggested that you use beef bones, "if possible." The spouse asked for some at his usual butcher's and was given a solitary piece. I went out looking for more at a shop closer to home and the butcher kindly gave me a small selection. I continued along the road, this time in search of white turnips (we had only swede turnips) at young Stephen's. He didn't have any. Never mind. I engaged in a conversation about borscht with Stephen's assistant, and told him about the tomato borscht  I made a few months ago (se...

Mussels in a Ginger and Chilli Broth October was the eighth month of the year until it was shifted back by July and August (I blame the Roman Empire). On the eighth day of what was formerly the eighth month of the year I made my eighty-eighth soup from The Soup Book . Another recipe by Roopa Gulati (the eighth time I've mentioned her), and it was another culinary and olfactory triumph! The main ingredients are mussels, butter, onions, bird eye red chillies, root ginger, garlic, lemongrass, ginger wine, fish stock, coconut milk, coconut cream and coriander leaves.You heat the butter and throw in the onions, chillies, ginger, garlic and lemongrass. I forgot the ginger, so had to fry it separately then added it to the broth when I added the mussels at a later stage. Dishing up the broth I wasn't sure where I'd get mussels. The spouse said he'd try his favourite fishmonger . It's been a several months since his last visit, but the fishmonger remembered him ...

Sauerkraut Soup Today I made sauerkraut soup. The ingredients included onion, bacon, kraut, canned tomatoes, stock and cream. It was very easy to make and didn't involve any blending. There was chopping, frying and heating. That's all. It wasn't bad - I had another portion for my dinner this evening - but it's not on my list of soups to make again. There were just three of us for lunch. (Tne older offspring, having left the nest, is keeping a low profile.) The spouse and the younger offspring were not too keen on the soup either. So sorry, sauerkraut soup. Not one of the better ones: sauerkraut soup Bee Buzz  The spouse treated himself to The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. I mention it only because there it contains an item on escaping from killer bees! The main elements of the advice are to run away and not to jump into any body of water - "the bees are likely to be waiting for you when you surfa...