Thursday 4 October 2007

Little Foodies Britain

What could be more British than soup and a sandwich? Hubby has taken to work a rare roast beef sandwich with creamy horseradish and a bowl of this soup! I feel like the perfect wife - she says suddenly spluttering and coughing as though something is stuck in the back of throat!

Comfort Soup (Could feed 6-8), excuse the poor pic!
3 large potatoes
2-3 large carrots
2 large parsnips
1 medium size swede
1 large onion
a handful of greens, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon of oil
2 pints of good chicken stock
Half pint of extra creamy full fat milk

Peel and chop into small rough cubes all of the vegetables.
Sweat the potatoes and onions in a little oil. Then add the rest of the veg and the chicken stock. Boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for further 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a stick blender then add the creamy milk,it may need a little more, you could put more milk or more stock or just water. Heat through, season if you wish, and serve with some good bread.

I love this soup because it's so easy. Also peeling and chopping veg can be quite therapeutic (if you're in the mood), which makes it comforting in itself before you've even started to eat it.

Hubby is out tonight so I'm having some friends round for a bite to eat. I think I may do some mini toad in the holes, not sure what else. Off to ponder my cookery books. If I wasn't on a cookery book diet then I'd probably buy some more. There seems to be a real glut of very good books on British food. Rightly so, we do have some wonderful dishes that we should be shouting from the rooftops about!

British Cuisine is something to be proud of not ashamed of. As I've said before, we have our own wonderful foods and then we're open enough to embrace other cultures and their cuisines. I think I mentioned this before when Sam of Becks and Posh held her fantastic event 'Fish and Quips', where she asked the world to prove why English food is not a joke. That was one of my first blogging events and I was staggered as I still am today just how lovely the food blogging community is. I remember being a little in awe that THE Sam responded to my e-mail too and that I was allowed to be included in the event. Err, hello?? I realise now that's what blogging events are about and that it's not some exclusive club that you have to be wearing the right clothes for, or be in with the right people to join in... Of course I still think Sam is rather cool and having just read her post from this Monday, it's an example of why I still think that.

Not sure how or why I went off on this tangent today. Call it therapy. I'm watching the clock for when I can go and pick up Small. The house is feeling super empty. Little said "There used to be 6 in this family and now there are only 5." That could change, yesterday I phoned up about some puppies. I warned Hubby not to be surprised if he came home and found a puppy here. He said "Don't you mean, don't be furious?" I said "Well both, don't be surprised or furious."

26 comments:

Anh said...

I love simple soup like this, too. Very comfortable to eat on a cool nite...

Truffle said...

Lucky Hubby!!! That sandwich sounds superb and the soup looks incredibly comforting. I adore British food, especially the puds!

FH said...

Beautiful looking soup, thick and hearty!:))

Deborah said...

We always had soup and sandwiches for lunch on Sundays before a big Sunday dinner growing up. But it was usually the canned kind of soup, not a wonderful soup like this!!

Angel said...

Soup and Sandwiches sounds so tasty.
Having tomato soup with a tuna melt always reminds me of when I was a kid. I hope you find a very cute addition to your family. Although personally I feel puppies are a lot more work then kittens.

Jules said...

You can't beat hearty soup and a chunky sandwich. I was craving this in work today!

Cynthia said...

We always go off on a tangent when we begin to talk about people and things we admire, respect and love.

Can't wait to see family member # 6.

Kelly-Jane said...

Ah well 'don't be furious' as a reply would maybe mean he wouldn't be surprised to find a little something when ariving home :)

Great lunch for hubby, lucky him :)

KJxx

Jann said...

one of my favorite soups-so rich and hearty! I will be right over to have a bowl~ Cheers to you!

Anonymous said...

I have to make more soups like this one! They really are a comfort...and I agree, chopping is very therapeutic :)

I'm so sorry to hear about Paddington :( I'm sending some warm cyber-hugs your way!

Marie Rayner said...

haha. Loved the last line. :-) Boys and dogs go together like peas and well, carrots! Lovely looking soup too!

Maggie said...

I love to dunk a piece of homemade bread into a bowl of delicious, thick soup! The soup looks beautiful.

Maggie said...

I love to dunk a piece of homemade bread into a delicious, thick soup! The soup looks lovely.

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Soup and sandwich is the best way to go. Hope you all are feeling better soon. Such comforting meals will certainly help to perk up the mood a bit! Hugs to the family!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

The soup would a wonderful creamy addition to anyones's lunch!Soup is just the ticket. My parents are British and food has always been overcooked in the past. My mom says it is because they were conditioned to cook their food well during the war due to spoilage and necessity. It has come a long way...baby!!!!

Anonymous said...

I make loads of soup at this time of year, well, all year round really, but I make lots of my favourite soups at this time of year - apple and beetroot, apple and parsnip, pumpkin, carrot - you name it. I've got to make a pot of pumpkin soup tonight for lazy weekend indulgences!

I bet this will be a puppy-blog very soon - who can resist one!?

Katie Zeller said...

He'll get over whichever or both ;-)
Great looking soup, I love putting swedes in soup - couldn't get them in Andorra.

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Anh, we do too. Lovely after a walk in the fields and with the log fire burning.

Hi Truffle, I think he felt pretty lucky that day.

Hi Asha, it was really thick. I had to water it down the next day.

Hi Deborah, soup and sandwiches - yummy, even tinned soup sometimes!

Hi Angel, I loved Heinz tomato soup when I was growing up and sometimes only that will do!

Hi Jules, I was craving it too! Luckily had leftovers.

Hi Cynthia, Now sure my hubby is with you on that one! ;)

Hi Kelly-Jane, We're just going to have to wait and see!

Hi Jann, Look forward to seeing you!

Hi Joey, thank you, I spent a day not wanting to cook anything and then since I've been cooking like crazy, chopping, mixing, beating, whisking!

Hi Marie, lets hope he takes note of what I've said and goes with the flow.

Hi Margaret, me too and the little ones ate nearly a whole loaf with the leftover soup this evening.

Hi Meeta, thank you! I have to say the boys haven't been eating that much. I however, have been cooking for England!

Hi Valli, I can understand that. From the age of 9 I lived with my grandmother and everything was overcooked. I soon learned to cook and was preparing my own meals as soon as I hit my teens.

Hi Tash, you just never know - watch this space!

Hi Katie, he will, he will, I say this with my fingers crossed! Shame you can't get hold of swede - I love it.

Thank you all for your comments.
Amanda x

Karen Baking Soda said...

Oh Amanda are you? Can't hardly wait, we are debating debating for so long, never deciding maybe we would best do like you, just plunge ahead and do it!
Love soup and sandwiches, in Holland it's a typical family dinner on Saturdays.

Nora B. said...

ooops, I missed a few of your posts, Amanda. I loved the photos of the cat. And I'm glad that you are going British. Your husband's sandwich sounds yummy - lucky him! And this soup looks comforting. Going off on a tangent can be cathartic. Have a good weekend, Amanda!

Cottage Smallholder said...

Your soup looks so tempting. Very canny to pair it with a roast beef sandwich.

Danny will happily take soup to London for a day or so but then suddenly breaks free and rushes to visit the emporium owned Mrs Saunder's husband. These lapses of taste are only admitted months later!

african vanielje said...

Soup & Sarnie, great autumn fare. Puppies, great anytime!! I'm envious. Glad you're feeling better

Nora B. said...

Hi Amanda, I finally had the time to read the previous post. I'm sorry to hear about Paddington. He looked like a lovely cat. I hope that Mao is not too lonely now that his companion is no longer with him.

KellytheCulinarian said...

What a great lunch option! I miss packing my lunch, it's so much better than going out. Here's hoping my fridge is fixed this week!

Gattina Cheung said...

the other day I just saw some pretty good parsnips, but walked pass them as I didn't have any idea in mind. After seeing your wonderful soup, I know I will go back to the store tomorrow!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Yes, I love root soups also and the chopping that goes with it.
Puppy . . . I so long for another Golden Retriever and one day I'll jump in again.
That is one of the joys of blogging, it's not about the right clothes or who you know, it's just me and you!

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