Soup

Soup! So many to choose from and at this time of year with all the sniffles and colds, sometimes all you want is a bowl of soup with bread and butter.

This month I have chosen two different styles of noodle soups. Firstly Chicken noodle to give an Asian taste and also a Minestrone to keep things a bit more traditional.

Chicken Noodle soup ( serves 2 )

900ml chicken stock or miso soup mix

1 chicken breast

1tsp fresh root ginger chopped

50g of rice or wheat noodles

2tbsp sweetcorn

2 -3 mushrooms thinly sliced

2tsp soy sauce

1 garlic clove finely chopped

2 spring onions shredded

Coriander leaves or chilli to finish

Pour 900ml chicken or vegetable stock into a pan and add 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tsp chopped root ginger and 1 finely chopped garlic clove.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer for 20 mins, until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken to a board and shred into bite-size pieces using a couple of forks.

Return the chicken to the stock with 50g rice or wheat noodles, 2 tbsp sweetcorn, 2-3 thinly sliced mushrooms, 1 shredded spring onion and 2 tsp soy sauce.

Simmer for 3-4 mins until the noodles are tender.

Minestrone

1 tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 large celery sticks, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable or chicken stock, made from a cube

400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

100g/3½ dried spaghetti, broken into short lengths

¼ head green cabbage, finely shredded

salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, season with a little salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened.

Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further three minutes.

Tip in the tomatoes and stock. Cover with a lid and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the beans and pasta and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Add the cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add some hot water to reach your preferred consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving