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    Thursday, May 27, 2010

    Mad About Vegetables - Soups and Purees


    Look at that colour... recipe for this pea puree at end of post.
    As the weather cools down one's thoughts turn to Soups and Winter Comfort Foods.
    Over the last week, I have made some very tasty Vegetable dishes and even did a wonderful Roast Pork inspired by Justin North on Master Chef Australia.
    So first, to go with the pork, which was served with cabbage and mashed potatoes I made a carrot puree.

    Once again MCA got me going. In the Masterclass, Gary made a carrot puree which I turned into soup earlier with parsnips.Click here to see how to do that. So The Pork dish needed colour, a little carrot puree on the side.


    Carrot Puree
    Take 3 carrots peeled and grated
    40 gms butter
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    A little water

    Melt the butter in a pan on med heat
    Add grated carrot and about 2 tablespoons of water
    Season with Salt and Pepper
    Gently cook till carrot squashes in your fingers about 10 minutes
    Add little more water if it gets too dry
    The into the blender

    You can do this earlier.

    Reheat in a little more butter once again gently
    Don't caramelize...you don't want that flavour.
    There ya go

    So back to soup
    Today I made a Swede and Leek Soup

    Buttery Creamy...beautiful
    No herbs or spices just vegetables (and Butter)

    40 gms butter
    1 leek cleaned and sliced thinly
    2 medium swedes peeled and cut into dice
    2 scant tablespoons flour

    Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
    1 litre Milk
    Water to thin

    Melt the butter in a pot
    Add leeks
    Season
    Saute gently till soft NOT brown
    Add swedes
    Season again and toss
    Add flour
    Cook it out for about 3-4 minutes

    Add milk and stir till it comes to the boil
    Lower heat and simmer till swedes are tender about 15 minutes

    Add water if it is too thick, you are making soup, not a sauce


    Into the blender

    Smooth as!
    Delicious
    You could sprinkle over some chopped parsley but it's pretty good as is.

    Now lets go for some beautiful colour
    Mushy Peas
    Great with Lamb

    This is not of course the original Mushy English peas, as they use marrowfat peas
    I love bright green Frozen peas.
    The secret is in the sweet and sour, Honey and vinegar.
    Splendid.

    500 gms frozen peas
    50 gms butter
    100 gms shallots or spring onions


    2 tbs honey


    50 mls good white wine vinegar
    Vegetable stock (I used the water the peas were cooked in)

    Blanch the peas in boiling salted water for about 1 minute
    Drain and into iced water to preserve the colour
    Reserve some stock to use later. About 200 mls
    Drain set aside

    Cook shallots or spring onions in 25 gms butter till soft NOT brown


    Put peas, onions honey, vinegar and about 75 gms stock into the blender

    Blitz till smooth
    Add more stock if too dry
    If you have a food mill pass the puree through. helps to get rid of the skins
    But it's not absolutely necessary

    To reheat melt the remainder of the butter
    Add the puree
    Heat taste and adjust seasoning if necessary

    Serve, great with lamb

    3 comments:

    FH said...

    Simple vegetable dishes are always yu, Just butter, salt and pepper, you get a yummy treats

    Have fun there, I know you will!

    Got long Memorial holiday for us here, might go to "Prince of Persia" with kids! :)

    Katie Zeller said...

    With our cool, rainy weather (again) I;m thinking soups instead of salads... I never thought of Swede, though... I have to try that!

    So So Simple said...

    Hope the holiday was a good day Asha
    Katie I think I might pop in a clove of garlic and maybe a bay leaf next time That could be the icing on the cake