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Darina Allen’s Sea Spinach Soup

 

darina allen sea spinach soup

Sea Spinach Soup

Sea spinach is at its sweetest and most delicious at present…. I absolutely love it and really want you to know about it so if you live near a rocky strand, look out for it – the shiny green leaves are unmistakable. It is, in fact, the ancestor to most cultivated varieties of beet, from beetroot to spinach beet. It can be cooked exactly like garden spinach and used in the same way, for example, try serving it in Middle Eastern style with raisins and pine kernels and a touch of cinnamon. Not surprisingly, because sea spinach is washed by the tides, it is full of iodine, minerals and other trace elements and it has an addictive salty tang. Sea spinach is tougher and slightly stronger in flavour than garden spinach, so it takes a little longer to cook.

The trick with these green soups is not to add the greens until the last minute, otherwise they will overcook and the soup will lose its fresh taste and bright green colour.

50g (2oz/1/2 stick) butter

110g (4oz/1 cup) onion, chopped

150g (5oz/1 cup) potatoes, chopped

600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

425-600ml (3/4-1 pint/2 – 2 1/2 cups) creamy milk (1/4 cream and 3/4 milk)

salt and freshly ground pepper

225-350g (8-12oz/3 cups) sea spinach, destalked and chopped

Freshly ground nutmeg

‍

Garnish

2 tablespoons (2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) whipped cream (optional

Freshly chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When it foams add the onions and potatoes and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Add the boiling stock and milk, bring back to the boil and simmer until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the sea spinach and boil with the lid off for about 3-5 minutes, until the sea spinach is tender. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour.

Liquidise and taste and add some freshly grated nutmeg.  Serve in warm bowls garnished with a blob of whipped cream and some chopped parsley

Ballymaloe Cookery
@BallymaloeCS

 

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Rachel Allen’s Celeriac and roast hazelnut soup with soda bread

rachel taste of dublin

Ingredients

For the soda bread

For the soup

  • 30g/1oz butter
  • 110g/4oz onions, finely chipped
  • 140g/5oz potatoes, finely
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 425g/15oz celeriac, finely diced
  • 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute with vegetable stock or water)
  • 170ml/6fl oz milk
  • 60ml/2fl oz cream (optional)
  • fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
  • 25g/1oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven 230C/450F/Gas 8. Brush a baking sheet generously with olive oil.

  2. For the soda bread, sift the plain flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a big bowl. Add the salt, and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix, pour in most of the buttermilk, and with one hand stiff and your fingers spread out like a claw, start mixing in a full circle once the butter milk has gone in.

  3. Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but work it very gently to bring it together.

  4. Transfer to a floured surface, and roll it out to about 35x20cm/14x8in and transfer it to the oiled tray.

  5. Brush the top of the dough with some more oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Then turn the oven down to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 8-12 minutes until cooked. When cooked, it should feel firm in the centre and be golden brown.

  6. Transfer the soda bread from the oven to a wire rack and cool for a couple of minutes, then cut it into squares to serve.

  7. Meanwhile for the soup, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  8. Cover with a circle of baking paper (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid, and sweat over a gentle heat for about ten minutes, until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

  9. Remove the paper lid. Add the celeriac and chicken stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celeriac is soft.

  10. Liquidise the soup using a hand blender, adding a little more stock, milk (or cream) to thin to the required consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  11. Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl with a scattering of chopped hazelnuts, and a little chopped parsley to garnish, accompanied by slices of soda bread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/celeriacroasthazelnu_78846

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Rachel Allen’s Celeriac and roast hazelnut soup with soda bread

rachel taste of dublin

Ingredients

For the soda bread

For the soup

  • 30g/1oz butter
  • 110g/4oz onions, finely chipped
  • 140g/5oz potatoes, finely
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 425g/15oz celeriac, finely diced
  • 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute with vegetable stock or water)
  • 170ml/6fl oz milk
  • 60ml/2fl oz cream (optional)
  • fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
  • 25g/1oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven 230C/450F/Gas 8. Brush a baking sheet generously with olive oil.

  2. For the soda bread, sift the plain flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a big bowl. Add the salt, and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix, pour in most of the buttermilk, and with one hand stiff and your fingers spread out like a claw, start mixing in a full circle once the butter milk has gone in.

  3. Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but work it very gently to bring it together.

  4. Transfer to a floured surface, and roll it out to about 35x20cm/14x8in and transfer it to the oiled tray.

  5. Brush the top of the dough with some more oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Then turn the oven down to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 8-12 minutes until cooked. When cooked, it should feel firm in the centre and be golden brown.

  6. Transfer the soda bread from the oven to a wire rack and cool for a couple of minutes, then cut it into squares to serve.

  7. Meanwhile for the soup, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  8. Cover with a circle of baking paper (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid, and sweat over a gentle heat for about ten minutes, until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

  9. Remove the paper lid. Add the celeriac and chicken stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celeriac is soft.

  10. Liquidise the soup using a hand blender, adding a little more stock, milk (or cream) to thin to the required consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  11. Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl with a scattering of chopped hazelnuts, and a little chopped parsley to garnish, accompanied by slices of soda bread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/celeriacroasthazelnu_78846

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Mary Flahavan’s Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup-A meal in a bowl!

fla tomato soup

Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup
A meal in a bowl!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 stick celery
1 small onion, peeled
1 carrot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
750g/1 ½lb vine tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
400g can tomatoes
300ml/ ½pt veg stock
50g/2oz Flahavan’s Organic Oats
I tsp sugar or balsamic vinegar
Olive oil to drizzle
6 basil leaves, torn, to decorate
Method
Dice the celery, onion and carrot finely. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the vegetables gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and fry for a few seconds then add the vine tomatoes and red pepper. Cook for a further 5 minutes until softened. Add the canned tomatoes with 200ml water and the stock then bring to the boil.  Add the oats, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.  Season to taste and sweeten with a little sugar or balsamic vinegar if necessary. Decorate with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
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Rachel’s Broccoli Soup with Dubliner Toasts

video-broccoli

I adore this delicious and nutritious soup. It’s great either for family suppers or for a dinner party. The soup can be frozen and the Dubliner toasts prepared in advance, then grilled at the last moment. Ideal if you need a meal in an instant. Rachel Allen

Ingredients:
  • THE SOUP:
  • 2 tbsp Kerrygold Salted Butter
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head of broccoli, with stalk
  • 3 1/2–4 1/4 cup hot vegetable (or chicken) stock
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • THE DUBLINER TOASTS:
  • 8 slices good-quality white bread
  • 3 oz Dubliner Cheese, finely grated
Directions:

 

Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan, and add the potatoes and onion, salt and pepper. Cover with a piece of wax paper and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets from the stalk. Using a small knife, remove the outer layer of skin from the stalk and discard, then chop the stalk into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the onion and potato, cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes.  Add the hot stock to the potatoes, onion and broccoli stalk, bring up to a boil, then add the chopped broccoli florets. Boil without the lid over a high heat for 4–5 minutes until soft, then add the cream. Remove from the heat, puree in a blender and season to taste.To make the Dubliner toasts, toast the bread on both sides, sprinkle with grated Dubliner Cheese and pop under a hot grill or into a hot oven for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Cut the toast into fingers and serve on the side with the soup.

 http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/broccoli-soup-with-dubliner-toasts/

 

Posted on

Rachel’s Broccoli Soup with Dubliner Toasts

video-broccoli

I adore this delicious and nutritious soup. It’s great either for family suppers or for a dinner party. The soup can be frozen and the Dubliner toasts prepared in advance, then grilled at the last moment. Ideal if you need a meal in an instant. Rachel Allen

Ingredients:
  • THE SOUP:
  • 2 tbsp Kerrygold Salted Butter
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 head of broccoli, with stalk
  • 3 1/2–4 1/4 cup hot vegetable (or chicken) stock
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • THE DUBLINER TOASTS:
  • 8 slices good-quality white bread
  • 3 oz Dubliner Cheese, finely grated
Directions:

 

Melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan, and add the potatoes and onion, salt and pepper. Cover with a piece of wax paper and sweat over a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets from the stalk. Using a small knife, remove the outer layer of skin from the stalk and discard, then chop the stalk into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the onion and potato, cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes.  Add the hot stock to the potatoes, onion and broccoli stalk, bring up to a boil, then add the chopped broccoli florets. Boil without the lid over a high heat for 4–5 minutes until soft, then add the cream. Remove from the heat, puree in a blender and season to taste.To make the Dubliner toasts, toast the bread on both sides, sprinkle with grated Dubliner Cheese and pop under a hot grill or into a hot oven for 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Cut the toast into fingers and serve on the side with the soup.

 http://kerrygoldusa.com/recipes/broccoli-soup-with-dubliner-toasts/

 

Posted on

Rachel’s Celeriac soup with roasted hazelnuts

celeriac-soup-page

 

Ingredients

Serves 6
Vegetarian

  • 25g (1oz) butter
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 celeriac, peeled and chopped
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • About 900ml (1 pint 12fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
  • 75ml (3fl oz) single or regular cream
  • 350-425mls (12-15 fl ozs) approx. buttermilk or sour milk

To serve

  • Handful of roasted, peeled (see Rachel’s tip below) and roughly chopped hazelnuts
  • 2–3 tbsp chopped parsley

For The Scones:

Makes about 16

  • 450g (1lb) plain white flour
  • 1 level tsp breadsoda
  • 1 level tsp salt
  • 2 tablesp. freshly chopped herbs e.g., rosemary, sage, thyme, chives, parsley or lemon balm
  • 350-425mls (12-15 fl ozs) approx. buttermilk or sour milk

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan on a low–medium heat, add the chopped onion, potato and celeriac, and season with salt and pepper. Place a butter wrapper or piece of greaseproof paper on top, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring regularly.

2. Pour in the stock, bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the vegetables are completely soft. add the cream and the chopped herbs and liquidise the soup in a blender or using a hand-held blender until it is smooth and velvety. Taste for seasoning.

3. To serve, ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with the roasted hazelnuts and parsley.

Rachel ’s tip

How to roast and peel hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°f), Gas mark 6. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and cook for about 10 minutes or until their skins have darkened, then remove from the oven. To remove the skins, wrap the nuts in a clean tea towel while they are still warm
(I find this tends to slightly stain the tea towel, so don’t use your
favourite!) and rub together. The skins should come off easily.

CHEESY SODA SCONES WITH HERBS

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8.

Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl, then mix in the freshly chopped herbs. Make a well in the centre. Pour most of the milk in at once. Using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl, adding more milk if necessary. The dough should be softish, not too wet and sticky.

When it all comes together, turn it out onto a floured board, knead lightly for a few seconds, just enough to tidy it up. Pat the dough until it is about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick. Cut into round or square shapes about the size of a scone, then place on a floured baking tray. Cook for 20 minutes approx. in the preheated oven until golden in colour.

http://www.rachelallen.com/post/celeriac-soup-roasted-hazelnuts

Posted on

Mary Flahavan’s Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup-A meal in a bowl!

fla tomato soup

Chunky Tomato and Oat Soup
A meal in a bowl!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 stick celery
1 small onion, peeled
1 carrot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
750g/1 ½lb vine tomatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
400g can tomatoes
300ml/ ½pt veg stock
50g/2oz Flahavan’s Organic Oats
I tsp sugar or balsamic vinegar
Olive oil to drizzle
6 basil leaves, torn, to decorate
Method
Dice the celery, onion and carrot finely. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the vegetables gently for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and fry for a few seconds then add the vine tomatoes and red pepper. Cook for a further 5 minutes until softened. Add the canned tomatoes with 200ml water and the stock then bring to the boil.  Add the oats, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes.  Season to taste and sweeten with a little sugar or balsamic vinegar if necessary. Decorate with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Posted on

Rachel Allen’s Celeriac and roast hazelnut soup with soda bread

rachel taste of dublin

Ingredients

For the soda bread

For the soup

  • 30g/1oz butter
  • 110g/4oz onions, finely chipped
  • 140g/5oz potatoes, finely
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 425g/15oz celeriac, finely diced
  • 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute with vegetable stock or water)
  • 170ml/6fl oz milk
  • 60ml/2fl oz cream (optional)
  • fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
  • 25g/1oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven 230C/450F/Gas 8. Brush a baking sheet generously with olive oil.

  2. For the soda bread, sift the plain flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a big bowl. Add the salt, and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix, pour in most of the buttermilk, and with one hand stiff and your fingers spread out like a claw, start mixing in a full circle once the butter milk has gone in.

  3. Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but work it very gently to bring it together.

  4. Transfer to a floured surface, and roll it out to about 35x20cm/14x8in and transfer it to the oiled tray.

  5. Brush the top of the dough with some more oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Transfer to the oven and cook for ten minutes. Then turn the oven down to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cook for a further 8-12 minutes until cooked. When cooked, it should feel firm in the centre and be golden brown.

  6. Transfer the soda bread from the oven to a wire rack and cool for a couple of minutes, then cut it into squares to serve.

  7. Meanwhile for the soup, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. When it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them in the butter until evenly coated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  8. Cover with a circle of baking paper (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid, and sweat over a gentle heat for about ten minutes, until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

  9. Remove the paper lid. Add the celeriac and chicken stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the celeriac is soft.

  10. Liquidise the soup using a hand blender, adding a little more stock, milk (or cream) to thin to the required consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  11. Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl with a scattering of chopped hazelnuts, and a little chopped parsley to garnish, accompanied by slices of soda bread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/celeriacroasthazelnu_78846