Tomato Soup with Parmesan Cheese Croutons

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

This delicious homemade herb-flavoured tomato soup is healthy, creamy and easy to put together. It is best enjoyed with some cheesy croutons. The recipe calls for the canned tomato, so pick the best quality canned tomatoes you can find, for example, Roma, San Marzano.

Garlic Parmesan Croutons	Soup
3 Hard rolls, cubed 2 Garlic cloves, minced Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated	2 tbsp Olive oil 1 Onion, chopped 2 clove Garlic, finely chopped 1 stalk Celery, chopped 1 Small carrot, chopped 1 can / 400 g Diced tomatoes 1-2 tbsp Tomato paste 250 ml Vegetable broth 1 Bay leaf Pinch of clove 1/3 tsp Dried basil Salt and pepper to taste 120 ml Soya cream, room temperature Some shaved Parmesan, optional 1 tbsp Chives, chopped, optional

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Place the cubed bread in a large bowl, add in minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan, black pepper and olive oil, and toss until the bread is evenly coated.
   
2. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, and stir the croutons. Return to oven, and cook for 20 more minutes or until browned and crunchy. Remove and toss thoroughly with the rest of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
   
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, bay leaf, a pinch of clove and dried basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.
   
4. Discard the bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth or puree in batches in a food processor fitted with knife blade. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in soya cream and heat through over the low heat.
   
5. Ladle into bowls and place a few pieces of croutons in each, topped with a slice of shaved Parmesan cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Sprinkle the chopped chives on top if used.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Happy Lunar New Year 2012! 祝福大家龙年行大运，行运一条龙！Happy Dragon Year 2012!

Fennel Potato Soup with Saffron

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Once the winter chill comes in, many of us long for some comfort food. Soups are a healthy and satisfying choice of the season.

Today I am sharing with you an easy broth-based soup filled with fennel, potato, soya cream (optional) and flavoured with saffron. If you prefer a lighter version, just leave out the soya cream at the final step.

Fennel bulb is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is the body's primary antioxidant and a necessity for the proper function of the immune system. In addition to its vitamin C, fennel is a very good source of fiber and potassium.

300 g Fennel bulb, trimmed and diced 100 g Potatoes, peeled and diced 2 Small shallots, finely diced 2 tbsp Olive oil 350 ml Vegetable stock 1/8 tsp Saffron threads 1 Bay leaf 60 ml Soya cream (or heavy cream) Salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim the fennel by removing the thin stalks and the thick base. Cut the bulb into 1cm pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1cm pieces too. Finely dice the shallots.
   
2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add in the diced shallots. Cook until aromatic and softened. Add in prepared fennel and potatoes. Sautee for 3 minutes. Add in vegetable stock, saffron, and bay leaf. Bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
   
3. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender. Stir in the cream and season. Serve in hot bowls with some chopped fennel fronds on top.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Orange Roasted Pumpkin Soup

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

This bright golden-coloured, creamy pumpkin soup is perfect for a light lunch with some crusty artisan bread rolls. Roasted pumpkin, potato and spices work together creating a rich depth of flavour and creamy texture without addition of heavy cream.

1 kg Hokkaido pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces 3 tbsp Walnut oil 1 Potato, peeled and diced 1 Onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 clove Garlic, chopped 1 Cayenne chilli pepper, deseeded and diced 1 tbsp Curry powder 1 tsp Coriander powder

1 l Vegetable stock 250 ml Orange juice 100 ml Milk Salt and cayenne pepper to taste 1 tbsp Lime juice Roasted pumpkin seeds Chives Chilli threads

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Place pumpkin and potato in a roasting pan. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
   
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft. Add in garlic, pepper, curry, and coriander powder. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
   
3. Add in pumpkin, potato, stock, orange juice and milk. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Blend the mixture in a food processor or with a handheld blender until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and lime juice. Ladle among serving bowls. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, and chilli threads.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Carrot and Lentil Soup

A glorious, flavoursome, and healthy carrot soup loaded with beta-carotene, which is believed to have antioxidant properties and help to reduce cancer, low in cholesterol and high in dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Manganese to boot. So what are you waiting for? Say YES to carrots!

• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
  
  
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
  
  
• 650 g Carrots, rinsed, peeled and coarsely grated
  
  
• 120 g Green lentils
  
  
• 1100 ml Vegetable stock
  
  
• 150 ml 1.5% Milk
  
  
• Salt and pepper
  
  
• Plain yogurt, to serve
  
  

1. Heat a saucepan and dry fry the cumin seeds for 1 minute until they start to jump around the pan and aromatic. Remove half of the seeds and reserve. Add in oil, grated carrots, lentils, stock and milk. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes until lentls are softened.
   
   
2. Remove the soup from the heat and process the soup with a stick blender until smooth. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Heat the soup through over the low heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with yogurt and sprinkle the reserved cumin seeds.

Curry Lentil Soup

Lentils are loaded with nutrients, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and folic acld. Lentils are a low calorie, low fat, and cholesterol free food.

There are hundreds of varieties of lentils, with as many as fifty or more cultivated for food. They come in a variety of colors, with red, brown, and green being the most popular. Lentils have an earthy, nutty flavor, and some varieties lend a slight peppery touch to the palate.

Lentils are also an important source of iron. Eating lentils with foods rich in Vitamin C, such as tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, and citrus fruits or juices, helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.

Lentils are also protein rich. They lack only one protein, methionine. Adding grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, dairy products, or egg will provide a complete protein.

Soluble fiber in lentils acts as a scrub brush, cleaning the digestive system. This type of fiber also decreases serum glucose and cholesterol, and decreases insulin requirements for people with diabetes. from Lentil Facts & Lore

300 g Green lentils 3 tbsp Butter 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1 Sweet onion, peeled and chopped

1 Carrot, peeled and grated 1 tin /320 g Tomatoes, crushed 2 tbsp Curry powder 2 tsp Vegetable bouillon powder 6 cup Water Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Rinse lentils thoroughly under cold running water and drain. Heat butter in a skillet until melted. Add in minced garlic and chopped onion, stirring until soft and fragrant. Add grated carrot, crushed tomatoes and curry powder. Stir briefly.
   
2. Add in lentils, vegetable bouillon and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes or till the lentils are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Snow Fungus Wolfberry Soup

Snow fungus, or white fungus, contains iron, vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. Stewed snow fungus lubricates the colon and stimulates peristalsis. They aid blood production and bring more circulation to the skin to give you a moisturized-complexion. That's part of the reasons that we eat lots of them in China. Snow fungus is also believed to be beneficial for the lungs, effective in healing dry cough and clearing heat in the lungs. They can be prepared with gingko, pears, Chinese dates, lotus seeds, or wolfberries.


Good quality snow fungus has a pale and yellowish white color. It is often used in soups and desserts. The consistency of a stewed snow fungus soup should not be watery but viscous.

• 15 g Dried white fungus
  
  
• 1 tbsp Chinese Wolfberriesangiesrecipes
  
  
• 4 cup Water
  
  
• Honey or rock sugar

1. Soak white fungus in water until soft, about 10 minutes. Rinse the wolfberries. Cut off any hard parts from the white fungus and discard.
   
   
2. Place the softened white fungus and wolfberries in the pot of your electric pressure cooker. Fill in the water, close the lid and turn the knob to soup cycle. After cooking is done, it will release steam naturally. Do not try taking the lid off until the pressure release completely.
   
   
3. The soup tastes best when served cold. Sweeten the soup with honey or rock sugar syrup to taste. I usually drink them without adding any sugar. However, you can add papaya, pears or pineapple to the soup, so that the soup will taste sweet and refreshing.

Chicken Sweetcorn Soup

A very healthy, popular Chinese soup. Easy to prepare and tastes fantastic!

	Marinade
100 g Chicken breastangiesrecipes 3 cup Water 1 tsp Chicken bouillonangiesrecipes 1 tsp Ginger rootangiesrecipes, minced 120 g Sweetcorns, canned 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp White pepper powder 1 tbsp Cornstarch 2 tbsp Water 1 Egg	1/4 tsp Salt Pinch of white pepper powder 1/2 tbsp Cornstarchangiesrecipes 1/2 tbsp Water 1 tsp Oil, cooked

1. Rinse the chicken breast well with cold water and pat it dry with paper towel. Finely chop chicken breast and place them in a bowl. Add in the marinade and mix well. Roughly chop the sweetcorns and lightly beat the egg.
   
   
2. Place 3 cups of water and chicken bouillon in a deep pot. Bring it to a boil. Add in minced ginger root and chopped sweetcorns. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add in the marinated chicken and stir until cooked, about 2 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Blend the cornstarch and water until smooth. Slowly pour into the soup, stirring constantly until thickened。 Add in the beaten egg and stir until egg swirl through the soup. Remove from heat.

Snow-flakes Fish Curds

125 g Fish fillet 2 Egg whites 150-200 ml Water 5 g Salt 10 g Ginger squeeze 30 g Starchy solution 10 g Chicken oil

Salad oil 15 g Dried mushrooms, soaked and chopped Lettuce shreds A few slices of carrots 100 g Stock 5 g Jiafan rice wine Chicken bouillon and salt to taste

1. Mash the fish fillet and dissolve it with some water. The quantity of water depends on the texture of fish, at about 150-200 ml.
   
   
2. Season with the salt and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Then add in ginger squeeze, starchy solution, egg whites and chicken oil to get the fish mixture.
   
   
3. Place a wok over the low-middle heat and add in enough salad oil. Using a tablespoon to scoop the fish mixture into the heated oil. Take out as soon as the fish has shaped. Rinse them with a bowl of boiled water to get rid of extra oil.
   
   
4. Place the stock in a skillet, together with rice wine, chicken bouillon and salt. Bring it to a boil. Thicken with a little starchy solution. Add in mushrooms, carrot slices and lettuce. Return the fish and stir briefly. Serve immediately.

Peking Soup / 北京汤

Quick, easy-to-prepare, and most important, the soup is flavourful and delicious!

#Ingredients:	#Sauce:
50 g Sausages or hams 50 g Carrots 30 g Bamboo shoots (fresh or canned) angiesrecipes 15 g Black fungus, soaked 1 Tomato angiesrecipes 1 tbsp Fermented bean sauce angiesrecipes 1/2 tbsp Cooking oil 1 tsp Ginger, angiesrecipesminced 5-6 cup Beef or chicken bouillon 2/3 tbsp Maggi sauce 1 tbsp Cornstarch 1 tbsp Water 1 Large egg 1/4 tsp Sesame oil 1 stalk Scallion, thinly sliced	2 tbsp Dark vinegar 1/3 tsp Salt 1/3 tsp Chillie flakes 1/4 White pepper powder

1. Rinse the tomato and cut a shallow X on the bottom of the tomato. Then, drop the tomato into a bowl of boiling water. Once the skin starts peeling off, quickly remove the tomato and dip it into a bowl of cold water. Once the tomato has been chilled, peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Cut the peeled and seeded tomato into thin strips. Thinly shred the sausage, carrots, bamboo shoots, and black fungus. Combine together the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch into the water. Set aside.
   
   
   
2. Heat up a pan, and add in oil, fermented bean sauce and minced ginger. Stir until aromatic and then pour in the bouillon and maggi sauce. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Add in shredded carrots, bamboo shoots, black fungus and sausages. Once the soup starts to boil, add in prepared sauce and tomato. Thicken the soup lightly with starchy solution. Adjust the heat to slower. Beat the egg and sesame oil together and gradually add into the soup, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Sprinkle the scallion over before serving.