I Invented A Soup!

[kerravonsen]

Yesterday I bought The Ultimate Student Vegetarian Cookbook, not so much to follow the recipes slavishly (since I expected many of them would have ingredients I wouldn't be allowed to eat) but more to get ideas. And I got a soup idea!

I saw one recipe that was carrot and ginger soup, and another recipe that was sweet potato and pear soup, and I had carrots and I had pears (and ginger too) but no sweet potato (it's verboten anyway), so I proceeded to experiment.
Carrot and Pear Soup
3 carrots
2 pears
1 onion
2 blood oranges
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp shredded ginger
1 tsp mixed spices (that's what it said on the packet, "mixed spices")
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock (this was Massel "chicken" stock, which is made without chicken...)

Chop onion, grate carrot, chop up pears, juice oranges.
Cook onion and ginger in large pot in the coconut oil until onion is tender.
Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Puree in blender or using stick blender.

It was delicious. I had no idea that those ingredients would work so well together. I have some left over for tomorrow.

I also bought "Molecular Gastronomy" yesterday, and have been reading it. Very interesting stuff.

Also, family came over and we played games all afternoon. That was fun.

Comments

[wneleh.livejournal.com]

Yum!

I make a big pot of soup every week and take it into work. Makes me feel very wholesome. :-)

- Helen

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

That sounds good... will talk to the Cook of the House :)

[kerravonsen]

8-)
If you like pumpkin soup or sweet potato, I think you would like this.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Soon, you will be a very famous creative cook!

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

That looks fascinating. And I'm glad to see that you used coconut oil, which is very healthy. I'm so glad you found something delicious to eat!

[kerravonsen]

Yes, I've been reading up on coconut oil, so I've added it to my arsenal along with the classic olive oil. Both cold-pressed virgin, of course.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I'm so pleased you've found something tasty that's allowed!

Way to go!

[kerravonsen]

8-)
Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to use oil, but I figured that a little bit wouldn't be too bad.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

Sounds good, except we haven't been able to get hold of blood oranges for years.
Have you tried this recipe yet?
http://www.jumbojoke.com/great_macgyver_cookie_recipe.html

[kerravonsen]

Sounds good, except we haven't been able to get hold of blood oranges for years.
I would expect ordinary oranges to be okay. I just happened to have a couple of blood oranges that I wanted to use.

Have you tried this recipe yet?
LOL!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That sounds delicious! [mems]

Why coconut oil rather than olive? I'm interested, as I use olive oil for everything. Do you get a coconut taste? Is it better for you?

[kerravonsen]

I did it basically for the taste; not that you can taste coconut in the end result, but I did notice that the onions seemed sweeter when they were cooked in coconut oil. Coconut oil isn't better for you than olive oil, but it's just as good for you as olive oil, in different ways, so long as one is using virgin cold-pressed coconut oil rather than cheap refined stuff. Another reason for getting virgin coconut oil is that it's more likely to be Fair Trade. I got mine from the local health food store, but if I hadn't found it there, I was considering getting it from http://www.kokonutpacific.com.au/, who are specifically Fair Trade and have done a lot for the island peoples.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I think I can get some good quality stuff from the organic supermarket.