I hope this isn't too domestic but I am full of the zeal of the recent convert.
Consequent on overdue healthier and somewhat reduced eating, one of those gadgets that live in the cupboard designated for things like a George Foreman grill, panino presses, popcorn and ice-cream makers, sous vide cookers etc has come out triumphant - the Morphy Richards soup maker.
Bought for us by our son a few years ago, admired but infrequently used, I can't see it going back in for the forseeable future.
So far I have made
Smokey Bacon and Red Lentil
Carrot & Ginger
Celery
Mushroom
Broccoli & Stilton
Mock Mulligatawny (adapted from Curried Red Lentil)
Apart from the Carrot & Ginger, and only because I overdid the root ginger, they have all been excellent. Today's 'Mulligatawny' was superb.
Heinz Cream of Mushroom, one of my old stand-bys, has been knocked for six (6% or 24g being the amount of mushrooms in a 400g tin) My 1600ml. mushroom soup contained 350g, about 22%.
The Broccoli and Stilton, with 15ml. of double cream dribbled into a 400ml bowl just before serving and garnished with fresh coriander, was luxurious. Without doubt the best I've had.
I know a soup maker is unnecessary for this but on my new soupy diet it earns its keep, mainly because I needn't mess about with a blender. Press the button and it cooks whatever's in it for 21 minutes and smashes it to bits. If I want chunky then I select that and it does 28 minutes, leaving me to use the blend button if I want smaller lumps when it's finished.
Soup has replaced our quick but carb-heavy lunchtime sandwich habit, cutting calories from 300-500 to 150-300. And I enjoy it much more.
I haven't been at all sophisticated about it either. Lots of scope left. My first google hit found a site with a list of 46 basic recipes and I haven't looked beyond that yet. There's a bit of a theme - most of them start with a chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and the potentially watery ones usually have a 150g spud in them to thicken them up a bit. Each 1600ml brew makes four meal-sized bowls.
I choose to soften the onions in a bit of extra virgin while I'm chopping/peeling the other stuff, if they brown a bit then so much the better.
lianaskitchen.co.uk/soup-maker-recipes/
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