Darina Allen’s Carrot and Mint Soup

Carrot-Mint-Soup-(Carrot-Lovage-Soup)-(Carrot,-Chive

Carrot and Mint Soup

Most people will have carrots, onions and potatoes in their pantry – I’m using the first little shoots of fresh mint to flavour my batch of carrot soup today.

 

This soup may be served either hot or cold, don’t hesitate to put in a good pinch of sugar, it brings up the flavour.

560g(1 1/4lb/3 cups) carrots, preferably organic, chopped

45g(1 1/2oz/scant 1/2 stick) butter

110g(4oz) onion, chopped

150g(5oz) potatoes, chopped

salt,freshly ground pepper and sugar

sprig of spearmint

1.2litres (2 pints/5 cups) homemade light chicken or vegetable stock

62ml(2 1/2fl oz/generous 1/4 cup) creamy milk, (optional)

3 teaspoons freshly chopped spearmint

Garnish

a little lightly whipped cream or crème fraiche

sprigs of spearmint

Melt the butter and when it foams add the chopped vegetables, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sugar. Add a sprig of mint, cover with a butter paper (to retain the steam) and a tight fitting lid.Leave to sweat gently on a low heat for about 10 minutes approx.Remove the lid, add the boiling stock and cook until the vegetables are soft. Pour into the liquidiser, add 3 teaspoons of freshly chopped mint and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Adda little creamy milk if necessary.

Garnish with a swirl of lightly whipped cream or crème frâiche and a sprig of fresh mint.

Variation

Carrot and Lovage Soup

Substitute lovage for mint in the above recipe.

Carrot,Garlic Chive Flowers and Seeds

Add finely chopped garlic chives instead of mint in the master recipe. Garnish with a swirl of lightly whipped cream or crème fraiche,garlic chive flowers and seeds.  Society garlic flowers are also great.

Darina Allen: Soda bread is quick, easy and so delicious. @ballymaloecookeryschool

ballymaloecookeryschooland

darina_allen

Ballymaloe Cookery School

Liked by bellagoodvt and others

Ardsallagh Goat’s Cheese Soufflé by Darina Allen – Cook with Avonmore

Ingredients

  • 75g (3oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 300ml (½ pint) double cream
  • 300ml (½ pint) milk
  • a few slices of carrot
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 4–5 black peppercorns
  • a sprig of thyme, a few flat-leaf parsley stalks and a little scrap of bay
  • 40g (1½oz) plain flour
  • 5 organic eggs, separated
  • 110g (4oz) goat’s cheese (we use Ardsallagh), crumbled
  • 75g (3oz) Gruyère cheese, finely grated
  • 50g (2oz) mature Coolea or Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • good pinch of salt, cayenne, freshly ground black pepper
  • and nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

To serve

  • lots of thyme flowers, if available
  • green salad

Directions

We have several farmhouse goat’s-cheesemakers in Ireland.We use Ardsallagh goat’s cheese, St Tola from Inagh in Co.Clare is also heaven, as is Gortnamona from Cooleeneyfarm in Co. Tipperary and Corleggy from Co. Cavan.We bake this soufflé until golden and puffy in a shallow oval dish instead of the traditional soufflé bowl. It makes a perfect lunch or supper dish. Little individual bowls are also perfect as a starter. Reduce the cooking time accordingly.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas 8. Brush the bottom andsides of a 30cm (12in) shallow oval dish (not a soufflé dish) or six individual wide, rimmed soup bowls with melted butter.Put the cream and milk into a saucepan, add the carrot, onion,peppercorns and fresh herbs. Bring slowly to the boil, and then setaside to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain, discarding the flavourings(we rinse them off and throw them into the stockpot if there isone on the go).Melt the butter, add the flour and cook for a minute or two.Whisk in the strained cream and milk, bring to the boil and whisk

until the sauce thickens. Cool slightly. Add the egg yolks, goat’scheese, Gruyère and most of the Coolea or Parmesan (reservingsome for the topping). Season with salt, cayenne, freshly groundpepper and nutmeg. Taste and correct the seasoning.Whisk the egg whites stiffly and fold them gently into the mixtureto make a loose consistency. Spoon into the prepared dish, scatter thethyme leaves over the top and sprinkle with the reserved Coolea orParmesan.Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes (or 9–11 minutesfor the individual soufflés) or until the sides and top are nicely puffedup and golden – the centre should still be creamy. Garnish withthyme flowers. Serve immediately with a good green salad.

 

http://cookwithavonmore.ie/recipe/ardsallagh-goats-cheese-and-thyme-leaf-souffle/

    
0.00 avg. rating (0% score) – 0 votes

The cattle were delighted to get out of of the shed and into the fields this week, after a long wet winter. 🐄 @ballymaloe

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6RZCB9MpHA/?igsh=ZHI2NnN4YjBtMTE2

ballymaloecookeryschooland

darina_allen

Original audio

Liked by jillchadwickk and others

Darina Allen: One-Dish Roast Chicken Supper with Thyme and Rosemary @ballymaloecookeryschool

One-Dish Roast Chicken Supper with Thyme and Rosemary

Another lip-smackingly delicious dish that family and friends love me to cook for them. A whole roasting tray of crispy chicken, bacon and potatoes, perfumed with rosemary and thyme leaves.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
500g streaky bacon lardons
2kg free-range, organic chicken thighs (drumsticks and wings can also be included)
2-3 tbsp thyme leaves
1-2 tbsp chopped rosemary
1.1kg (about 10 large) potatoes
250g onions, sliced
60-110ml hot chicken stock
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
Green salad/Tomato fondue/Piperonata

You will need:
1 roasting tin
37 x 31cm or 2 small tins – 30 x 20cm

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8.

2 Heat the olive oil in a roasting tin, add the bacon and toss over a high heat until it is beginning to colour. Remove to a plate with a perforated spoon.

3 Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

4 Put into a large bowl and scatter with most of the thyme leaves and chopped rosemary, reserving some for the potatoes. (I sometimes add a sprinkling of chilli flakes or smoked paprika – it gets a brilliant reaction).

5 Toss well.

6 Peel the potatoes and cut into 1cm thick chips. Dry and season well with salt, pepper and the reserved herbs. Add to the bowl with chicken.

7 Drizzle with the bacon fat and olive oil from the pan and toss once again.

8 Scatter the onions and bacon over the base of the roasting tin(s). Arrange the chicken and potatoes haphazardly on top, making sure that the potatoes are popping up. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

9 Roast for 45 minutes–1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through (the juices should be running clear if pricked with a knife) and the chips are crispy at the edges. (Organic chicken pieces are larger, so cooking time can be up to 1¼ hours.)

10 Add the chicken stock at the end if the dish needs a little more juice.

11 Serve from the tin, family style, with a good green salad and vegetables of your choice, such as tomato fondue or piperonata if you wish.

See more online:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/food-columnists/arid-41796485.html