Two Soups

Soup is definitely a student staple for us, and for so many good reasons. It's healthy, cheap, freezes well, warms you up, and makes a really easy on-the-go lunch if you invest in a thermos. We have two of our favourite soup recipes for you - the first is a tried-and-tested family recipe courtesy of Catie's Mum. This hearty and filling Scotch Broth is packed with beans, peas and barley, and has been sustaining the family through harsh northern winters for decades! The second is Zoe's favourite Mary Berry Winter Vegetable Soup. We used chopped tomatoes when we couldn't get our hands on any passata - it is totally delicious either way, with the tomato element adding a fresh, lightness. We recommend you try them both - they really are souper winter warmers (sorry). 

Kirsteen's Chunky Scotch Broth  

For 6-8 servings you will need...

1 small swede 

2 sticks of celery

1 large leek

4 or 5 carrots

1 bay leaf

Chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup of pearl barley

1 cup each dried butter beans and dried marrowfat peas OR 3 tins of assorted beans if you can't find dried (I like to use 2 butter bean and 1 cannelini) 

Salt and pepper 

You will need to...

- If using dried beans and peas, these will need to be soaked in cold water overnight. 

- Chop all your root veg into smallish chunks depending on how chunky you like your soup. Slice the leek. 

- Sauté all the veg in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for about ten minutes until softened. 

- Add enough stock and boiling water to cover the veg. Pop in your bayleaf, barley and beans (drain and rinse them beforehand if using tinned) and stir to combine. 

- Bring your soup to the boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and leave to cook on a low heat on the hob or in the oven for about an hour and a half or until all the beans, barley, and veg are soft. 

- Once cooked, season your soup well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or, if stored in the fridge in an airtight container it should keep for about a week. 

Mary Berry's Winter Vegetable Soup

For 6-8 servings you will need...

50g butter 

2 small red onions 

2 leeks, finely chopped 

3 sticks celery, finely sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

4 tablespoons flour 

500g passata or chopped tomatoes  

2 large potatoes

400g tomatoes, chopped 

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons tomato puree 

2 pints / 1.1 litres Chicken or vegetable stock 

Salt and pepper 

Parsley

You will need to...

-  Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions, leeks, celery and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

- Whisk the flour with the passata/chopped tomatoes in a bowl until well blended and smooth. 

- Add the potatoes, tomatoes, sugar and tomato puree to the pan. Stir in the passata and the chicken stock and allow it to thicken. 

- Bring to the boil and season. Cover and turn down the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

- Check the seasoning and serve hot sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley and a swirl of cream if you fancy.

Enjoy! C & Z x

Valentine's Day Delight: White Chocolate Mousse

This is not strictly a Valentine's Day recipe, infact I usually make it in the summer when the strawberries are at their juiciest. However, it doubles up as a romantic pud so why not see if you can impress the other-half or alternatively indulge your single friends! I am aware that the average student house does not contain a set of mousse rings, so I have developed my own tactics for this recipe, which involves cutting up cream or yoghurt pots to make DIY mousse rings. This is a Mary Berry classic adapted to be more student-friendly, and of course if required it has a romantic decorative twist for Valentine's Day...

For six mousses you will need...

50g dark chocolate

75g hobnob biscuits

200g white chocolate

200ml double cream

200ml crème fraiche

225g strawberries

6 mousse rings if you have them, or if not,  DIY using yogurt pots (see below)

             

You will need to...

- Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie.

- Meanwhile, bash the hobnobs with a rolling pin in either a freezer bag or large mixing bowl. When they are finely crushed, stir in the melted dark chocolate. 

- Lay the mousse rings on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. 

- Press the biscuit base into the mousse rings using the back of a metal spoon. Make sure that they are all even and not too thick.

- Chill in the fridge to set whilst you make the filling.

- Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie, then stir in the crème fraiche and double cream.

- Chop the strawberries into even, thin slices, then remove the bases from the fridge and line the mousse rings with your sliced strawberries.

- Spoon the white chocolate mixture into the middle of each ring - make sure they are only filled to about 2/3 full otherwise it will not hold when the ring is removed.

- Put the mousses back into the fridge and leave to set for about 4 hours.

- When ready to serve, carefully remove the mousse rings and serve with a romantic heart-shaped strawberry slice for Valentine's Day, or on other occasions, a sprig of mint or spoonful of fruit coulis will suffice!

Enjoy! Z x 

Flapjacks for February

There is no way of disguising the fact that flapjacks aren't the healthiest of foods, however as treats go, they're pretty damn good. The oats mean they are incredibly filling, making them great for an on-the-go sugar boost when you find yourself flagging. Although forced to use soft brown sugar (we had no caster sugar in the house), we will definitely be using it again, as it turned the flapjacks an amazing, deep golden brown and made them deliciously chewy. We got a bit creative with our flavours (procrastination from uni work does this to you), creating three different types using the additions of fruit, nuts, chocolate and spices. Needless to say, these are ridiculously easy, and a perfect starting point for any amateur baker. Once you have your basic flapjack mix, feel free to concoct your own 'perfect bar' to suit your tastes - here are our favourites...

Raisin and cinnamon spiced flapjacks

Plain flapjack with a double chocolate topping

                                                                   You will need...

200g butter 

200g soft brown sugar 

5 tbsp golden syrup

400g rolled oats (if you like them gooey use less!)

Optional additions such as...

Cinnamon and raisins 

Flaked almond and dried cherry

Dark and milk chocolate drizzle

Cherry and almond with a dark chocolate drizzle

You will need to...

- Pre-heat your oven to 180C. 

- Line a 20cm square baking tray with baking parchment.

- Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a large saucepan, do not allow the mixture to boil. 

- Remove from heat and stir in your oats until they are covered in the mixture. 

- At this point add in any extras such as nuts, fruit or spice.

- Press the mixture into the baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins 

- Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

- Leave to cool completely before drizzling with a melted chocolate of your choice. 

Enjoy! C and Z x