MEXICAN CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP
Guaranteed to turn a meal into a fiesta with a touch of spice and a whole load of warmth. We love to serve it on a chilly winter’s day.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder
- 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 × 400g tin black beans (or any other type, if preferred)
- 100g sweetcorn kernels (tinned or frozen)
- salt and pepper
- fresh coriander and grated cheese, to serve (optional)
1 Pour the stock into a large saucepan and set over a medium heat. Once it is steamy add the chicken breast and poach for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken from the stock (putting this aside as the base for the soup), allow to cool a little and shred finely with a fork.
2 Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Finely dice the red pepper. Set the saucepan you used for the chicken over a medium heat. Add the oil to the pan along with the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sweat slowly until tender, but don’t let them pick up any colour. Add the red pepper and sauté for 3 minutes or until just tender. Fold in the cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder and cook until aromatic. Add the stock, bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil again, then turn down to simmer for another 15 minutes.
3 Drain the beans and sweetcorn (if tinned). Stir into the soup with the shredded chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes to marry the flavours. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. We love it with fresh coriander and grated cheese.
SRI LANKAN CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Karan Gokani is the creator of Sri Lankan restaurant concept Hoppers, which has three sites in London. His recipe here is ‘an easy weeknight supper when you’re craving something spicy and adventurous but still want a quick meal’.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 red pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- a small thumb of ginger (approx 5cm)
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp roasted Sri Lankan or Madras curry powder
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 850ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tbsp double cream (optional)
- salt and pepper
- crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to serve (optional)
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel, deseed and cut the squash into 2cm cubes. Put in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with vegetable oil and add a generous pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes or until slightly coloured and cooked through.
2 Meanwhile deseed the red pepper and chop into 2cm cubes. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Deseed the chilli.
3 Set a large saucepan or shallow casserole pan over a medium heat. Melt the coconut oil or ghee then add the cinnamon stick, onion, garlic and ginger.
4 After a couple of minutes, add the red pepper, chilli, curry powder and curry leaves. Fry for a further 2 minutes then add the squash and stock, mix well and simmer for 15 minutes.
5 Fish out the cinnamon stick and blend the mixture until smooth, adding some water or more stock, if required, to reach the consistency of soup you like.
6 Bring back to a gentle simmer, stir in the cream, if using, and season to taste. Karan recommends about half a teaspoon of coarsely ground black peppercorns for flavour and gentle heat. Elevate further with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP
Ayse and her mum, Sue, have been part of the Cook for Good family since our earliest days: Ayse was one of our first volunteers, and Sue is now on our staff team. They told us all about this traditional Turkish soup, mercimek corbasi, so we tried our best to re-create it for Ayse’s birthday, presenting it to her (slightly nervously) instead of a cake. How delighted we were when Ayse told us it was just like nene – her grandma – used to make!
SERVES 4-6
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 large carrot
- 1 medium potato
- 1 lemon
- 25g parsley
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp pul biber (aleppo pepper)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- 240g red lentils
- 1½ tsp dried mint
- salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the pul biber oil
- 40ml vegetable oil
- 1 tsp pul biber
1 Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel and cut the carrot and potato into 2cm dice. Cut the lemon into 6 wedges. Finely chop the parsley.
2 Set a large saucepan or a shallow casserole pan over a medium heat. Add the olive oil followed by the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the diced carrot and potato and sauté again, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds (don’t let it burn).
3 Add the tomato purée, cumin, pul biber, oregano, a good pinch of salt, black pepper and cayenne, if using. Stir for 30 seconds then deglaze the pan with a small amount of water. Add the stock and lentils. Stir and increase the heat until the soup is boiling then reduce and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the lentils are cooked through. If the soup gets too thick, add a little water.
4 Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dried mint and a squeeze of juice from one of the lemon wedges. Now you can leave as is or use a stick blender to blend the soup until it’s creamy and all the ingredients are incorporated.
5 To make the pul biber oil, heat the oil in a small pan and add the pul biber. Stir to combine, remove from the heat and stir further until fully incorporated.
6 Serve the soup with the remaining lemon wedges, a sprinkle of the finely chopped parsley and a drizzle of the pul biber oil.
TUSCAN BREAD SOUP
Known in Italy as ribollita, this is a fantastic way to use up stale bread (which tops the charts as one of the UK’s most wasted foods). Not only is it delicious, this soup is also particularly good for vegetarians, as the beans are a great source of veggie-friendly protein, and you can swap the cavolo nero for any other dark green leafy veg you have in your fridge.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 brown onion
- 1 small red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 leek
- 200g butternut squash
- 200g cavolo nero (or other dark green leafy veg)
- 200g stale bread
- 400g tin cannellini beans
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 parmesan rind (optional but tasty!)
- 500ml vegetable stock
- salt and pepper
For the garnish
- 25g parsley
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 60g parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated (optional)
1 Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Peel and cut the carrots into 1cm dice. Trim and cut the celery into 1cm dice. Wash and trim the leek and cut into 5mm rounds. Peel and deseed the butternut squash and cut into 2cm chunks. Cut the cavolo nero into thin shreds. Tear the bread into chunks.
2 Blend half the tinned beans together with all the liquid from the can into a loose purée.
3 Set a large saucepan or shallow casserole pan on a medium heat. Add the oil followed by the onions and garlic. Sauté for 6-7 minutes until softened. Add the carrot, celery and bay leaf, together with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the fennel seeds and chilli flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the leek, squash and cavolo nero. Stir well then cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4 Add the tomatoes, puréed beans, cheese rind (if using) and stock. Cover again and simmer until all the vegetables are tender (up to 40 minutes). Stir through the remaining cannellini beans and bread and cook for 5 more minutes.
5 Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley for garnishing. To serve, drizzle the soup with the olive oil and sprinkle over the grated cheese, if using. Crisp it under the grill and then scatter with the parsley.
SPLIT PEA AND FRANKFURTER SOUP
Nigella Lawson has been one of our foodie supporters since we first began, and our community loved chatting about food and swapping recipes with her when she popped in to Cook for Good for a visit. This hearty recipe is one she has often made for a cosy New Year’s Day family lunch: in her words, ‘When you come back home, hands, nose, and feet stinging from the cold, this is just what you need to have waiting for you.’
SERVES 4-6
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 celery stick
- 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 500g yellow split peas
- 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- approx 8 frankfurter sausages
1 Peel the onion, carrot and garlic, cut the onion and carrot into big chunks, trim and roughly cut up the stick of celery then put everything in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until finely chopped.
2 Spoon the oil into a wide, heavy-based saucepan and set it over a medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the chopped vegetables from the food processor and cook for 5-10 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
3 Add the nutmeg – this may be a small amount but it’s crucial to the taste – give a good stir then add the split peas and stir again until they’re glossily mixed with the oil-slicked, cooked-down vegetables. Pour over 1.25 litres of the stock and add the bay leaves, then bring to the boil.
4 Cover, turn down the heat and cook for about an hour until everything is tender and sludgy, adding more stock as needed. Sometimes the peas seem to thicken too much before they actually cook and need to be watered down. Check seasoning once everything’s ready.
5 You can add the frankfurters as you wish. It’s probably easiest just to cut them into slices of about 3cm each and throw them into the soup to warm.
BROCCOLI STALK SOUP
This recipe makes the unloved stump star of the show. It produces a lighter colour and nuttier flavour than the head of the broccoli but is every bit as delicious, and so cost-effective.
SERVES 4-6
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small leek
- 1 celery stick
- 500g broccoli stalks
- 375g potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1.5-2 litres vegetable stock
- 100ml double cream
- ½ a lemon
- salt and pepper
1 Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Clean the leek, discard the toughest green part and then roughly chop the rest. Trim and cut the celery into 1cm dice. Trim off the toughest parts of the broccoli stalks and cut the rest into 2cm dice. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm dice.
2 Set a shallow casserole pan or large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil then the butter and, once that’s melted, the onion, cooking until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, leek and celery and cook for a further 5 minutes or until fragrant and starting to soften.
3 Add 1.5 litres of the vegetable stock then the broccoli stalks and potatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until the broccoli and potatoes are tender. Blend until smooth, adding more stock if needed.
4 Stir in the cream and season to taste with salt, pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice. This soup is wonderful with a swirl of cream and crunchy garlic and herb croutons.
WEST AFRICAN PEANUT AND CHICKEN SOUP
Based on a centuries-old recipe, this soup was traditionally known as Groundnut Stew and has its origins in West Africa, where groundnuts have long been a staple food. Our version uses peanuts and peanut butter, which blend beautifully with the other ingredients to make a rich, flavourful soup. As the recipe suggests, it can be eaten on a bed of rice, which makes it more stew-like, but it’s equally delicious on its own as a lighter meal.
SERVES 4-6
- 2 onions
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 150g baby spinach
- 200g cooked chicken (from leftover roast chicken or poached chicken breast)
- 60g roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted)
- a small thumb of ginger (approx 5cm)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 85g tomato purée
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (use less for milder soup)
- 1.25 litres vegetable stock
- 260g smooth (unsweetened) peanut butter
- 120g white basmati rice
- salt and pepper
1 Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and cut the sweet potato into 1cm dice. Wash and drain the spinach if needed and shred the cooked chicken with a fork. Chop the peanuts. Peel and finely grate the ginger.
2 Set a large saucepan or shallow casserole pan on a medium heat. Once hot, add the oil along with the onions and grated ginger and cook gently for 10 minutes until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the tomato purée, mix well, and then add the sweet potatoes. Season with a good pinch of salt and cayenne pepper.
3 Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, by which time the sweet potatoes should be cooked. Meanwhile, cook the rice in a separate pan according to the pack instructions. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, stir in the peanut butter thoroughly. Add the spinach and shredded chicken and stir well.
4 Serve the soup hot over white rice garnished with the chopped peanuts.
CARROT SOUP WITH ORANGE AND STAR ANISE
One of the very first soups we served in the Pantry was a classic carrot with coriander, and in the couple of years since, we’ve come up with lots of variations for our members to try. This is a recent discovery: the zingy orange really perks up the flavour, and the star anise adds a hint of warm spices. A great way to rescue a common surplus vegetable from going limp in your fridge.
SERVES 4-6
- 2 onions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 12 sprigs of thyme
- 800g carrots
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 orange
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 star anise
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
- salt and pepper
1 Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Strip the thyme leaves from the stalks (save the stalks to infuse in vinegar for salad dressings). Peel and cut the carrots into 2cm dice. Crush the coriander seeds in the pestle and mortar until finely ground. Juice the orange.
2 Set a large saucepan or shallow casserole pan on a medium heat. Add the oil followed by the onions, garlic, star anise, and freshly ground coriander. Gently sauté until all the veg is soft and tender, about 5 minutes.
3 Add the carrot and thyme leaves. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until the carrots are just starting to caramelise. Pour in the stock – the liquid should just cover the vegetables but top up with more stock if required. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for around 30 minutes.
4 When the carrots are tender, remove the star anise and blend until the soup is very smooth. Add salt, pepper, and white wine vinegar to taste. Slowly add the orange juice: add half first as you blend, then taste and add more as needed.
5 If using butter, whisk into the hot soup right before serving (it adds a lovely creamy finish) and serve immediately. Serve hot, garnished with herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
NOW BUY THE BOOK
Soup for Good: Recipes and Stories from the Cook for Good Community is published by Cook for Good (£25, amazon.co.uk); all profits to go to its community programme. Tackling social isolation, food insecurity and barriers to work, Cook for Good offers free meals, cooking classes and training as well as a weekly soup café in London’s Kings Cross.
