winterskos – My Whisk and I

Pea and Bacon Soup

June 30, 2024June 28, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

400g smoked streaky bacon
15ml olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
650g frozen peas
750ml vegetable/chicken stock
15ml butter

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil.
Cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside.
Add the onion to the same saucepan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add about three quarters of the peas and all of the stock.
Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with a plunge blender until smooth.
Now add the peas that you kept aside, break the bacon into pieces and add those and the butter.
Gently simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Serve with bacon and cheese toasties.

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White Bean Soup

August 21, 2023August 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
30g butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 x 400g cans of cannellini beans
500ml vegetable stock
5ml finely chopped rosemary
5ml finely chopped thyme leaves
sourdough croutons to serve

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter and wait for the pan to heat up.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Drain 2 of the cans of beans and add the beans to the saucepan.
Pour the third can of beans, liquid and all, into a liquidiser and blitz until smooth.
Add to the saucepan.
Pour in the stock and add the rosemary and thyme.
Grind over some black pepper and stir together.
Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve piping hot with freshly made croutons.

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Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

June 14, 2023May 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

60ml butter
1 onion, chopped
60ml flour
750ml vegetable stock
1 head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces, stems included
1 large carrot, finely diced
500ml milk
750ml grated mature cheddar cheese

Add the butter to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat and wait for it to melt.
Add the onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, while stirring.
Drizzle in the stock while whisking continuously.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Now add the broccoli and carrot, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a low simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Pour the milk into the mixture and stir to blend.
Decant about two thirds of the mixture into a blender and blitz until smooth.
Pour back into the saucepan and wait for the soup to come back to a low simmer.
Add the cheddar and stir through until melted.
Serve the soup piping hot with a crusty bread.

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Chunky Vegetable Soup

May 21, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The garnish for this vegetable soup was made by horizontally slicing a hotdog roll, drizzling it with olive oil and toasting it in the oven. The garnish on the crouton is homemade mayonnaise with cherry tomatoes and fresh soft herbs.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sticks of celery, leaves included, washed and chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, chopped
400g potato, peeled and cubed

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the tinned tomato and cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour in the stock, add the bay leave, carrot and potato and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Mash or liquidise half of the soup, cook another 5 minutes and serve with a fresh, crusty bread.

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Sugar Bean Soup

May 11, 2023April 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g brown sugar beans
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large/2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 leeks, finely sliced
500g beef, 1,5 – 2cm cubes
2 litres beef stock
45ml Worcestershire sauce

Soak the beans in a bowl filled with cold water for a minimum of 6 hours.
Rinse the beans and add them to a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them by 3cm. Cook for 45 minutes. (If you are cooking them in a saucepan – simmer gently for 1 – 2 hours until soft when pressed between your fingers). DO NOT ADD SALT OR ANY OTHER FLAVOURANTS AT THIS STAGE!
Place another large saucepan on a medium heat and add a splash of vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic, carrots and leeks and gently cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the beef, season well with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
Drain the beans, mash them roughly and add to the beef mixture.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes while keeping a hawk’s eye on it as it will burn easily at this stage. Stir often and regulate the temperature.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.
Serve steaming hot with a fresh crusty bread.

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Mustard Soup/Mosterd Soep

May 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Traditional Amsterdammers will insist that this soup be made with Groninger mustard but any good quality granulated mustard is perfect for this delicious soup. Serve it with fresh bread and extra fried bacon. Serves 4.

2 leeks, rinsed and sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 large potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
50g flour
1 litre vegetable/chicken stock
62ml cream
30ml Groninger/granulated mustard
salt and pepper

Pour enough oil into a saucepan to cover the bottom and place on medium-high heat.
Add the leeks, onion and potato and cook until the leeks are soft. Stir often.
Add the garlic and fry for another minute.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir-fry for another minute.
Pour in the stock and bring the soup to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer until the potatoes are very, very soft.
Blitz the mixture with a stick blender/liquidiser until completely smooth.
Add the cream and mustard and stir through.
Simmer the soup on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the bacon to a non-stick frying pan and cook until slightly crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Serve the soup piping hot with extra bacon scattered on top.