​Shorba - clear meat and wheat broth soup.
Serves 6-8 people



The soup base:

-Wash and soak 2 cups of medium cracked wheat for 2-3 hours. 
-Once soaked drain the water.

-Next in a large high sided heavy bottom pot add:

(Pre-soaked) drained cracked wheat
5 cups of water
Lamb/chicken/veg stock cubes X 4( chicken is my preference)
a pinch of turmeric
peppercorns X 8
cardimons X 3
cloves X 3
Dried (birds eye) chillies 1-3 ( not necessary if you wish to keep it mild)
a stick of cinnamon
Salt to taste.

-On a medium heat boil until the wheat has soften and is ready to eat. -Check by mashing a couple of grains between your forefinger and thumb. The grain should be soft enough to mash leaving just a tiny firm fibre part in the middle. 
(Takes 4-6 hours on medium heat )

-Add more water as and when needed, enough that the “water line” is about an inch above the “wheat line”. (Do not be tempted to add too much water at the cooking stage as extra water is added at final stage to get to the right consistency of soup- if you add too much water it could become too watery at the end once everything is added, remember it's easier to add at the end then take away). 

-Once cooked it is ready for the addition of the other ingredients which can be added straight away if pre-prepped or the soup base can be set aside left to cool and added to later on. 



N.B.
Before adding the other ingredients this is the perfect time to fish out the unwanted whole spices. 




Meat:
about 400g boneless lamb meat (ideally from the leg portion)

Thinly cut small pieces of lamb (no bigger than an inch in height and half cm thick).

In a medium heavy bottom pot add:
oil 3-4 tbspn 
onion 2 medium finely chopped

On a medium-high flame cook until translucent
Next add: 
ginger 3 tspns
garlic 2 tspns

Cook for a of minute

Next add the meat -Brown off the meat 

Next add:
turmeric ⅓ tspn
salt to taste
chilli powder to taste
100-150 ml water

Cook on a medium-low flame until the meat is tender- If there is still plenty water left, turn up the heat to dry off any excess water (stiring continuously so that it does not burn) so that you are just left with a thick gravy coating.
Set a side.



Tomato:

Blanch 5-6 medium tomatoes remove skin and blitz. Also set aside.



​
Combining the dish:


-To the soup base add the meat with its gravy
(Once you have taken out the meat and gravy, add a little water to the meat pot and using your spoon “wash out” the remaining gravy into the soup base too so that you do not lose any of the lovely flavours from the gravy). 
-Next add the blitzed tomato.
-Add the juice of one lemon. ( Or less or more to taste)
-Add 1-3 green chillies whole washed and pierced. (Not necessary if you wish to keep it mild) 
-Salt to taste.
-Check the consistency of the soup that it is as thick/thin as you like, add water if you need to make it thinner. 
-Bring to the boil.
-Switch off and garnish with chopped coriander.
-Serve hot


Top tip:
Do not cover after garnish as you lose the lovely green colour.
 

​This soup may not seem "authentic" to someone from Spain, but like I have said before: sometimes its not necessarily where the dish may come from, but sometimes where you had it/ made it/ or where it reminds you of is where you personally associate a dish “from” or with. As I keep saying food is more than the ingredients and flavours that go in it that create the “taste”; the energy gone into making and growing all have a vital part to play, but also the full environment and encounter associated with it has a big influence on our experience of the meal. A meal time is not just re-fuelling the tank, it is their to be lived, enjoyed and reaped.


On that note let’s press on with this recipe, this came to be as a result of a terms worth of learning the fruit and veg. in Spanish. The class shared a delicious meal all prepared in Spanish, to mark the end of term. Below is the soup that took shape from all the veg that was brought in by the children. This was served with bread, butter, a salad and cheese cubes. All in all that's my kinda Spanish class!


So as you may have guess by now this is not a “traditional” soup from anywhere, but as it came to be in the Spanish Lesson, it is known in our home as “Spanish soup”, and it is ALWAYS prepared in Spanish!


CREMA DE SOPA DE VERDURAS

Ingredientes/ Ingredients:


1  ajo (garlic bulb)
2  chirivia (parsnips)
5  zanahorias (carrots)
3  calabacin (courgettes)
1  batatas (sweet potato)
3  patatas / papas (potatoes)
3  cebolla (onions)
1  judias verdes (pack of green beans)
2  puerro (leeks)
1  pimiento rojo (red pepper)
2  apio (sticks of celery)


3 tblspns  aceite de oliva/mantequilla (Oil/butter) (although I do not recommend cooking in olive oil, but it was part of their learning)


Metodo/ Method:
pelar le verdura, (peel the veg)
cortar la verdura, (chop the veg)
freir la verdura (fry the veg)
anadir agua (add water, enough to cover the veg)
cocinar hasta que la verdura sea suave (cook till the veg is soft).
Mezclar la verdura (blend the veg)
Ilevar a ebullicion ( put back on heat and bring to boil)
apagar y servir (switch off the heat and serve)


Disfrutar! (Enjoy!)

​
 

This is the recipe of my "winter greens" the one I used in the spring term for the  school lunches, filled with energy required to help us see out winter, made with seasonal veg that naturally grow in the UK in that season.


Serves about 6 portions


INGREDIENTS:

1.5kg Frozen peas (Petits Pois, but you can use other ones)
200g Baby Spinach
100g Kale
300g Broccoli
2 Sprigs of parsley (optional)

Salt to taste (about 2/3 tblspn)
Pepper to taste (about 2/3 tblspn)
2 Veg stock pots  (I used knorr stock pots)
1 big Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
4 tblspns Cooking Oil(or switch out for melted butter/vegan butter)
a couple of table spoons of cream/vegan cream for garnishing (optional)



METHOD:

-Peel, wash and roughly chop the onion into chunks.
-Peel, wash and quarter the garlic.
-Remove any leaves from the broccoli, chop it into small sized chunks including the stem, and wash. (cut the tops in to one similar sized piece and bottoms into one similar sized piece)
-Wash the kale (roughly chop it if it is in big leaves).
-Wash the spinach

-In a small, heavy bottom pot/pan, drizzle in the oil and add the roughly chopped up onion and garlic and pepper.
-On medium flame, cook the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes (or until the onion is transparent).
Leave to cool on the side.
 
For the next step a steamer is the most ideal choice of equipment, but as it is not a very common household equipment I will be describing how to do the following steps with just a standard pot. However, if you do have a steamer/ or pot with an in built colander please do use it as its most helpful. In the following steps we will be blanching all the veg, to bring out a vibrant green colour and just soften enough to blend nicely.
-On a high flame, place a medium, high sided, heavy bottom pot filled with about 5 cups of water add the salt and bring to the boil.
-Once the water has come to a boil add in the chopped broccoli.
 
*IMPORTANT DO NOT COVER THE POT WITH A LID! *
 
-We are going to blanch cook it for about 3-4 minutes, this should result in giving a beautiful vibrant green and the broccoli should just start to soften slightly.
-Turn down the heat for safety, using a large slotted metal straining spoon carefully remove the broccoli from the water into a colander, do not drain away the water as you will use it to cook the rest of the veg.
-Run cold water through your broccoli to stop the cooking process.
-Leave it to drain/cool on the side
 
-Next turn back up the heat for your pot of hot water, and add in the prepped kale, carefully swish around for 40-50s using your metal straining spoon.
-Turn down the heat and carefully remove the kale using your metal straining spoon into a colander, do not drain the water away, you still need it.
-Run cold water through the kale to stop the cooking process.


-Next place the peas (either from frozen or defrosted) into your pot of water along with the vegetable stock cubes and turn up the heat to medium-high. If using frozen once the peas have softened cook for 2-3 minutes, then switch off the flame. If cooking pre-defrosted cook for 3-4 minutes, then switch off and remove from the heat source.
-Next add washed baby spinach leaves and torn up leaves of the washed sprigs of parsley and stir in with the peas.
 
-Leave to cool enough to blend (DO NOT COVER!), generally about 40 minutes or so is enough, but it is important to follow your blender manufacturer's guidelines.

 
-Blend all the veg and the onion garlic mix in batches as per your blender manufacturer's guidelines.
-Decant the blended batches into a large, high sided, heavy bottom pot, one which will safely hold all the soup with room for it to come to a boil.

-Once it is all blended to a smooth consistency, put back on a medium/high heat. (If you find the soup to be too thick, add some more water until you are happy with the consistency).

*IMPORTANT DO NOT COVER THE POT WITH A LID!*

-Once the soup comes to a boil, switch off and serve hot/warm either with bread and butter or plain. 
(you can garnish with a couple of table spoons of cream/vegan cream, a few leaves of parsley and a twist of freshly ground pepper).



​
​TOP TIPs:

When cooking greens it is important not to over cook them or cover them, as they will loose there beautiful vibrant green colour. Greens if not eaten straight away, should not be covered until cooled. If you must cover it, its best to use a fly screen, this allows the food to stay safe without compromising it, as the fly screen will allow the steam to escape.

If you would like to freeze the soup, you can do so by freezing after blending, but before you re-heat it. The soup can be kept in the freezer for up to a year, but best to consume sooner rather than later to maximise the nourishment from its nutrients.

​Aside from eating veggies raw, which is best, eating veg straight away after preparing them ensures you can optimise your nourishment from them. 

Vegan Summer Green Soup

This is the recipe of my summer "Green soup" which I used for a recent conference catering, not my winter/spring green soup which I used for the school lunches. My "winter greens" is a bit more darker, a bit more "hardy", filled with energy required to help us see out winter, made with seasonal veg that naturally grow in the UK in that season. This one is more refreshing and light perfect to indulge in on a warm summer's day.

I normally use good quality frozen green peas for soups (Garden Peas or Petits Pois, the latter though is my most favourite) you can opt for fresh, but that requires a lot of de-podding!! So not the most practical, but if you are bored... I normally choose the fresh for snack times for kids its fun for them and obviously really good too. 

As always the most important thing is to eat seasonal local veg.
Nature has a method to the madness!
Embrace it, don't fight it!!



Serves about 5 portions

INGREDIENTS:

1.8kg Frozen peas
200g Baby Spinach
4-5 sprigs Fresh mint (best liberated fresh from your own garden if you have some)

Salt to taste (about 2/3 tblspn)
Pepper to taste (about 2/3 tblspn)
2 Veg stock pots  (I used knorr stock pots)
1 big Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
4 tblspns Cooking Oil

METHOD:

-Peel, wash and roughly chop the onion into chunks.
-Peel, wash and quarter the garlic.
-In a medium, high sided, heavy bottom pot, drizzle in the oil and add the roughly chopped up onion and garlic.
-On medium flame, cook the onions and garlic for about 5minutes (or until the onion is transparent).
-Next place the peas (either from frozen or defrosted) and fill up with water enough to cover the peas and turn up the heat to a high flame.
*IMPORTANT DO NOT COVER THE POT WITH A LID!*
( you can add just tap water or pre-heated water if you are in a rush).

-Once the water has started to boil and the peas, if frozen, have soften switch off the flame and remove from the heat source.
-Next add washed baby spinach leaves and torn up leaves of one washed sprig of mint and stir in with the peas.

-Leave to cool enough to blend (DO NOT COVER!), generally about 40 minutes or so is enough, but it is important to follow your blender manufacturer's guidelines.


-Once you are ready to blend, add the rest of the mint leaves washed and torn up. (Leave two or three for garnishing if you wish).
-Blend in batches as per your blender manufacturer's guidelines.
-Decant the blended batches into a large high sided pot, one which will safely hold all the soup with room for it to come to a boil.

-Once it is all blended to a smooth creamy consistency, put back on a medium/high heat. (If you find the soup to be too thick, add some more water until you are happy with the consistency).

*IMPORTANT DO NOT COVER THE POT WITH A LID!*

-Once the soup comes to a boil switch off and serve hot/warm either with bread and butter or plain. 
(you can garnish with the few leaves of mint and a twist of freshly ground pepper).



​TOP TIPs:

When cooking greens it is important not to over cook them or cover them, as they will loose there beautiful vibrant green colour. Greens if not eaten straight away, should not be covered until cooled. If you must cover it, its best to use a fly screen, this allows the food to stay safe without compromising it, as the fly screen will allow the steam to escape.

If you would like to freeze the soup, you can do so by freezing after blending, but before you re-heat it. The soup can be kept in the freezer for up to a year, but best to consume sooner rather than later to maximise the nourishment from its nutrients.

​Aside from eating veggies raw, which is best, eating veg straight away after preparing them ensures you can optimise your nourishment from them. 

​My "School Lunches" Red Soup


SIDE NOTE:
You can use fresh tomatoes in place of the below mentioned tinned/pureed and do it yourself, (as I often do do at home), but as I am compiling the recipe I used in school, I am sticking to the tomatoes I used for this recipe- peeling 20 cans worth of tinned tomatoes was a bit of a big ask in the time we had not to mention the puree, anyways. I always bought the good quality organic tinned tomatoes that are only in tomato juice with no added sugar or salt. The problem is when you buy with additives you never realise how much sugar and salt has already been added.


INGREDIENTS:

3x 400g "Mr Organic Whole Peeled Plum tomatoes" 
200g "Mr Organic Tomato puree"
300g Carrots (which is about 6 carrots or so)
8 Radishes 
4 sticks Celery
1 large Onion
6-7 cloves Garlic
2 Red peppers
1 (Big) Potato
2 Stock pots (knorr vegetable stock pots)
Salt to taste ( about 1/3 tblspn)
80g Demerara sugar ( about 5 heaped tblspns)
1/2 tspn Paprika powder
1/3 tspn Coriander ( seed) powder
1/2 tspn Celery salt
1/6 tspn Black pepper
3 tblspns cooking oil/melted butter/melted vegan butter
chilli powder (optional about 1/8 tspn)
2-3 tblspn Optional Butter/vegan butter  or a drizzle of cream if you wish



METHOD:

-Peel, wash, top and tail and chop carrots in big chunks.
-Wash, top and tail and chop celery sticks and radishes into chunks.

(For my younger/inexperienced audience "top and tail" means to chop off the top "greeny" head and bottom "rooty" base on the veg).
​
-Peel, wash, and chop potato in big chunks.
-Wash and de-seed the peppers, then cut it into chunks. (A fun way to do this is to press down the top with your two thumbs so it "pops" inwards and then tear it open, remove the seeded stalk and tear up the rest of the pepper).

-Peel the garlic cloves, wash and quarter them.
-Peel the onion, wash and roughly chop it in to chunks

-Next on a medium-high heat, place a high sided, heavy bottom, medium-large sized pot; add the onions, garlic and drizzle in the cooking oil.
-While stirring occasionally, with a long handled wooden spoon, cook the onions until transparent.
-Next add the spices and salt.
-After cooking the spices for 2 minutes, add the prepared veg (NOT TOMATOES).
-Cook the veg for about 2-3 minutes before adding 3 cups of water and the vegetable stock pots.

(The water line should be such that it covers all the veg- bare in mind you will have some e.g. celery, floating on the top which is ok, if not add more water)

- Leave to cook on a medium flame until the veg are soft enough to pry with a fork.
(Takes about 10-15 minutes depending on your equipment).
-Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside for it to cool enough to blend.
(About 30- 45 minutes depending on your blender manufacturer's recommendations on the temperature of "blend-able contents").


-Once ready to blend, add the plum peeled tomatoes and tomato puree to the veg mix as you blend batch by batch (as per your blender manufacturer's recommendations on maximum quantities).
-Pour your blended soup into a large high sided, heavy bottom pot ready for re-heating for serving.

-Once all of the soup is blended to a nice smooth consistency and you are ready to re-heat for service, Place the soup pot on a medium heat and add in the Demerara sugar and optional butter/vegan butter; or if opting for cream hold back the cream till ready for service.

Top Tip:

-Put in about 4 tblspn of sugar first and taste before adding the 5th, as the sugar is there to cut the sharpness of the tomatoes and sometimes some tomatoes are less sharp than others and therefore may not need the full amount.
-REMEMBER GOLDEN RULE: you can always still add more if needed, but can't take away if too much!
-The optional butter/cream is also there for this purpose.
-If you do find you have added too much, adding a squeeze of lime or an extra sprinkle of celery salt can help. You are trying to achieve a balanced flavour, one that is not sharp, but not overly sweet either.


-If you feel that the soup has thickened too much to your liking, add a bit of water till you are happy with the consistency.
-Once the soup has come to a boil, switch off.
-(Add any cream in now if you wanted to add cream)

​-Serve hot/warm either on its own, or with the children's favourite "lunches bread" with butter/vegan butter.

The soup can be frozen for later use, but freeze prior to re-heating and use within a year of freezing.


JUST AN FYI:
-Those who are here to re-create the "exact" lunches soup for their children, I did not add any cream, I only added vegan butter now and then, depending on the sharpness of the tomatoes. I never used any chilli powder in school meals, only paprika and black pepper, but sparingly.

I'm keeping fingers crossed for you all, Hoping it gets passed by them!

x