It came to "insect" week in the cookbook challenge, and I was insane packing mode. I couldn't find anything I wanted to make that wouldn't take up too much time. Then it kinda all just fell apart from there. But spending a day bonding with my new kitchen, I thought I'd try a whole range of recipes from various cookbooks.


I decided to check out what themes I'd missed that I need to catch up on whilst everything was simmering away, and bingo! Soup was one of them. So whilst it isn't the most creative take on the soup theme (I did want to make a caesar salad soup), it's still a post!

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I don't know about the rest of you, but Melbourne has suddenly been hit with cold, miserable weather. The type where all you want to do is stay in bed with the electric blanket on and watch dvds. However, it is also good weather for soup!

This mug may look normal size but I assure you it is massive.
This warm, tasty soup will be my lunch for the rest of the week with some nice grainy toasted bread. Just the thing I'll need when I'm at work, especially because I won't have to wonder down the street to find lunch in the freezing cold!

The spices used provide a nice middle eastern flavour, and the kick of chilli will definitely help to warm me up. I have a feeling I will be making this soup quite a few times this winter!

Moroccan Sweet Potato, Carrot & Chickpea Soup
Annette Forrest (www.taste.com.au)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
600g orange sweet potato, peeled, diced
500g carrots, peeled, sliced
6 cups reduced-salt chicken stock
300g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/2 small lemon, juiced
Turkish bread croutons (see note), to serve

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin and chilli powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add sweet potato and carrot. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add stock. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

2. Add chickpeas to soup and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until chickpeas are tender.

3. Blend soup, in batches, until smooth. Return to saucepan over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Heat, stirring, until hot (do not boil). Ladle into bowls. Top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper.

Serves 4.

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This is the perfect winter's meal, hot and full of flavour. I always look forward to dinner when I know this is on the menu.

I wasn't going to post last night's dinner, but when my friend Katie asked if I had already posted the recipe, I remembered I hadn't, and I know she would probably give it a go once I had.

Wonton Soup
Serves 4

wontons:
400g pork mince
6 prawns, chopped
1 spring onion, chopped
oyster sauce ( 3 tablespoons, or enough to taste)
dash of sesame oil
pepper
wonton wrappers

soup:
large pot of water, add approx 1 heaped tablespoon of chicken powder stock (enough to taste)

optional veg:
broccoli or pak choy

Once you have made the wontons, you can place them in the boiling soup along with the vegetable (depending on how long your vegetables take to cook).

Once everything is cooked, serve hot with chilli (optional).

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