Bland Soup à la Em3

Posted on February 21st, 2006 @ 5:40 pm in Stuff.

Ingredients:

  • Two parsnips, diced
  • Two potatoes, diced
  • A carrot, diced
  • Update: A red onion, diced
  • Chick peas, tin
  • Vegetable stock, 1 pt
  • Condiments (I used large pinches of sea salt, Update: black pepper, cumin seeds and a wheesh of mixed herbs)
  • Large heaped teaspoon of mustard
  1. Sauté the potatoes, parsnips and carrot in an inch or so of the stock for a few minutes
  2. Add the chick peas, the mustard and the rest of the stock
  3. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until the veg is soft.
  4. Remove from heat and mash the results with a potato masher.
  5. Serve and be disappointed by its blandness.
 

5 responses

  1. Author

    grumpybloke says:

    Added on February 21st, 2006 at 6:05 pm

    Ah - didn’t realise you were vegetarian.

    Good God, no wonder it’s bland! :-) Apart from the parsnips (an instrument of Satan if ever there was one), you don’t have any veg that have a particularly strong flavour, especially when you’re sauteeing them AND boiling them. Don’t do either - that’s where you’re cooking all the flavour out of it.

    Let it cook through on a slow simmer, which will soften the vegetables.

    And no onion! Good grief!! Consider additional veg with different, stronger flavours - swede, artichoke, whatever you can find. Use fresh herbs, add pepper and perhaps a smidge of garlic or chilli.

    Final hint is not to attack it with the masher. Have good,old fashioned lumpy vegetable soup.

    Also take your point about organic veg - but I never had a clue how much more flavour home grown has over the shop variety until the grumpy garden lost its flowers and gained a small veg plot. It honestly does make a world of difference. :-)

    Em3: Oh yes - forgot about the onion … and the pepper. I really am getting forgetful these days. Will correct that recipe. I’ll have to get Joanie up here to give me vegetabicular advice …

  2. Author

    Croila says:

    Added on February 21st, 2006 at 7:15 pm

    *sigh* … It was sounding so good until you got to the mustard bit …

    Em3: No mustard? Oh dear - it’d do your chesty cough good too.

  3. Author

    grumpybloke says:

    Added on February 21st, 2006 at 8:58 pm

    If you want prime organic veg advice, the next time I’m in Norfolk perhaps Mrs grumpy could take you in hand.

    Err, hang on… ;-)

    Em3: Steady on!

  4. Author

    Daisy says:

    Added on February 21st, 2006 at 10:20 pm

    I’m thinking of starting up The Parsnip Preservation and Adoration Society - there have been so many anti parsnip comments lately! Parsnips are one of the best vegetables on the planet, they just need careful handling.

    Em, when you say “Sauté the potatoes, parsnips and carrot in an inch or so of the stock for a few minutes” - here I’d sauté them in butter (about 50g) - that’ll bring the flavour out more than in stock. When they’ve softened (about 5 mins) then add the stock and seasoning. And I’m with grumpybloke, don’t mash ‘em, much better as a chunky soup. If you don’t want it chunky, let it cool and pulverise the whole lot in the liquidiser.

    Oh and I’m trying to remember if you eat fish at all?

    Em3: Nope, no fishies for me either, Daisy.

  5. Author

    grumpybloke says:

    Added on February 22nd, 2006 at 7:31 am

    Parsnips? Euuuuuuurrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!!! :-(

    I’d rather have sprouts every day for a year! :-)

    Em3: Mmmmm … sprouts!

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