Our Favourite Winter Soup Recipes

The weather outside is getting colder and colder, which as we all know can only be cured with a big, warm bowl of soup. We have scoped the Internet and tried an array of soup recipes to come to you with the best ones. These three recipes are from delicious and let us tell you… they certainly are. 

Pea and Ham Soup 

Ingredients: 

• 225g onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons plain flour 
• 900g frozen or fresh peas 
• Ham stock
• 800g-2kg smoked ham 
• 1 large onion
• 2 large carrot, halved
• 3 celery stalks, thickly sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• Coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• Pinch of crushed dried chillies

Method: 

1. For the stock, put all the ingredients in a large saucepan with 2 litres (8 cups) water and bring to the boil, skimming off the scum as it rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. 
2. Strain, discarding vegetables but reserving hock. You want 1.5 litres (6 cups) stock in total, so if you have slightly more, return to a clean pan and simmer until reduced to the required amount. 
3. Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the onion and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually add stock, then increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Add the peas, return to the boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until peas are tender. 
4. Skin the ham hock, remove the meat from the bone and chop into small pieces. 
5. Remove the soup from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then blend with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in the ham and season with freshly ground black pepper. Warm through over low heat, then serve in warmed soup bowls. 

Super Greens Soup with Truffle Oil 

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stalks chopped, and leaves reserved
• 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 
• 1 head broccoli, stalk chopped, separated into florets
• 1 bay leaf
• 2L (8 cups) vegetable stock
• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• 300g baby spinach 
• Juice of 1 lemon 
• Greek style yoghurt to serve 
• Truffle oil to serve 

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, parsley stalks, zucchini, fennel, celery, broccoli stalk and bay leaf, cook for 10 minutes or until soft. 
2. Increase heat to high. Add stock and chickpeas, bring to boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Add broccoli florets, parsley leaves and baby spinach, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender
3. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Puree the soup using a stick blender until smooth. Stir through the lemon juice and season to taste. 
4. Divide the soup among bowls. Top with Greek style yoghurt and season with freshly ground place pepper and a drizzle of truffle oil. 

Smoky Eggplant Cumin Soup 

Ingredients: 

• 5 x 450g eggplants 
• 1/3 cup (90g) tahini) 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups (750ml) vegetable stock, warmed
• Pinch of ground cumin, plus toasted cumin seeds to serve
• 150ml olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 eggs, poached
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue to high. Add eggplant and cook, turning regularly, for 30-35 minutes until charred all over and soft when pierced with a skewer. Pierce eggplant all over and place in a colander to cool slightly. Using your hands, peel skin and discard with stalks. Return flesh to colander, press to remove excess liquid. 
2. Transfer eggplant to a food processor and whiz until smooth. Gradually add tahini, mustard, and warm stock. Add cumin to taste. Reduce speed, add olive oil, one third at a time, to prevent soup from splitting. Stir in lemon juice. Season. 
3. Divide the soup among bowls and top with poached eggs. Sprinkle with toasted cumin seeds.