Katherine Smyth soup bowls from Annex. White soup bowls, black enamel pot, iron trivet from Yvonne Sanders Antiques. Photo / Babiche Martens.
Angela Casley creates delicious soups to keep the whole family happy, warm and satisfied.
Sunday afternoon and my large soup pot, which has been at the back of the cupboard for most of summer, is back in action. I love to make soup, there is so much scope for tasty and heartwarming creations. Plus, it is so easy and a large pot will keep
you going for a couple of days. Or, of course, you can store any surplus in the freezer ready to have on hand for those cold winter days when you need a quick and hearty lunch.
The key to a great soup is flavoursome home-made stock. You just can't beat a big stock pot on the simmer filled with an array of vegetables, herbs, and chicken or beef bones. There are a couple of rules when making stock. Firstly, do not allow it to boil or it will become thick and muddy looking instead of a delicious semi-clear jelly.
Although beef, vegetable and chicken stock can be simmered for hours, fish stock should not be simmered for too long - 20 minutes and then strain it off otherwise it will become bitter. Secondly, do not over-season your stock. A tasty well-made stock can be frozen in small containers and whipped out then used to make the best soup or sauce.
Simple as they are, soups do come in different forms. I love to throw all sorts of vegetables into a pot with some tasty stock and make a chunky vegetable soup. I might also add a tin of cannellini beans or chicken thighs chopped with plenty of fresh herbs to make it more substantial.
