The Smoked Aubergine Soup was fantastic simply because of the speed you can knock it up. Here is the recipe:
Smoked Aubergine Soup with Harissa and Orange
1 Small Aubergine
1 Can of Chick Peas
1/4 tsp of Rose Harissa (or a touch more if you're a real chilli fiend)
300ml Chicken Stock
Juice of 1 Orange
Greek Yoghurt
1. Chargrill the Aubergine by either sticking it under your grill and turning it occasionally, or resting it on the flame of your gas hob, turning it with some tongs. Rather like char-grilling peppers.
2. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and tumble them into a blender, along with the rest of the ingredients. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. One the aubergine is charred all over, carefully split it down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape the flesh into the blender.
4. Blend and transfer to a pan to heat up, add the yogurt as a garnish.
I should also mention it feeds 2 people. I wouldn't serve this as a starter, simply because it is very filling, but it does make a delicious lunch on cold days when a sandwich simply doesn't cut it.
I'm just cooking for myself today; while I love cooking for a crowd I'm not one of these people that nukes their food in the microwave when they're alone. On the contrary, cooking is my way of showing people i care about them so cooking for myself is the culinary equivalent of having a bubble bath: relaxing, indulgent and absolutely necessary after a long day.
What with everyone going on about the credit crunch and the rising cost of living, blah blah blah, I'm trying to be frugal (such a dirty word) on the shopping front and yesterday i picked up an organic cauliflower in the reduced grocery section of Sainsbury's. My dairy-starved body immediately insisted i cooked Cauliflower cheese, the health conscious side of my brain denied such an outrageous demand. I eventually decided to please both sides and opted for a Cauliflower Cheese and Mustard Soup.
Cauliflower Cheese and Mustard Soup
For 1 and enough for leftovers to freeze
1 tbsp olive oil or if you are not being depressingly health conscious like me, butter, 25g
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small organic cauliflower
a bay leaf
1 potato (I used vivaldi potatoes which are deliciously creamy), peeled and cut into cubes
2 tbsps reduced fat creme-fraiche or a splash of double cream
your choice of mustard, i use English for a kick but if you prefer grain looks prettier
1. Heat the olive oil or butter, meanwhile chop your onion, wipe away tears and then add to the oil. Crush your garlic and add to onions. You don't want to brown them, just soften them.
2. Cut your cauliflower in florets and put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, boil them until tender-not mush, even though this will be blended you don't want to have water-logged veg.
3. Add the bay leaf, the tender cauli, the potato and cooking water (you judge if you want all of it, you can leave some aside if you wish and add it after you've pureed the soup), bring it to a rolling boil and then turn it down to simmer for 10-15 mins.
4. When it's time to puree the soup, play 'hunt the bay leaf' and then puree with a hand held blender or transfer to a blender.
5. Pour back into the pan and reheat, adding the creme-fraiche, mustard and seasoning.
6. When you are ready to serve, put the soup into bowls and add the grated cheese. Enjoy in front of America's Next Top Model or similar.
I should add here that while cheese isn't exactly fat free i would never opt for the flavourless, rubber they label as the healthier option. If you use a cheese, lets say cheddar, go for the strong tasting one and you'll use less. I used an Applewood Cheddar which has a gloriously smokey taste. You could also go in a completely other direction with this soup and add some Garam Marsala to the onions and garlic, omitting the cheese at the end, making it a creamy, curried cauliflower soup instead. The choice is yours.
PS if you're wondering why there aren't any pictures it is because my camera has run out of power. As soon as I locate the charger I will be transmitting in technicolour once again.
Smoked Aubergine Soup with Harissa and Orange
1 Small Aubergine
1 Can of Chick Peas
1/4 tsp of Rose Harissa (or a touch more if you're a real chilli fiend)
300ml Chicken Stock
Juice of 1 Orange
Greek Yoghurt
1. Chargrill the Aubergine by either sticking it under your grill and turning it occasionally, or resting it on the flame of your gas hob, turning it with some tongs. Rather like char-grilling peppers.
2. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and tumble them into a blender, along with the rest of the ingredients. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. One the aubergine is charred all over, carefully split it down the middle with a sharp knife and scrape the flesh into the blender.
4. Blend and transfer to a pan to heat up, add the yogurt as a garnish.
I should also mention it feeds 2 people. I wouldn't serve this as a starter, simply because it is very filling, but it does make a delicious lunch on cold days when a sandwich simply doesn't cut it.
I'm just cooking for myself today; while I love cooking for a crowd I'm not one of these people that nukes their food in the microwave when they're alone. On the contrary, cooking is my way of showing people i care about them so cooking for myself is the culinary equivalent of having a bubble bath: relaxing, indulgent and absolutely necessary after a long day.
What with everyone going on about the credit crunch and the rising cost of living, blah blah blah, I'm trying to be frugal (such a dirty word) on the shopping front and yesterday i picked up an organic cauliflower in the reduced grocery section of Sainsbury's. My dairy-starved body immediately insisted i cooked Cauliflower cheese, the health conscious side of my brain denied such an outrageous demand. I eventually decided to please both sides and opted for a Cauliflower Cheese and Mustard Soup.
Cauliflower Cheese and Mustard Soup
For 1 and enough for leftovers to freeze
1 tbsp olive oil or if you are not being depressingly health conscious like me, butter, 25g
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small organic cauliflower
a bay leaf
1 potato (I used vivaldi potatoes which are deliciously creamy), peeled and cut into cubes
2 tbsps reduced fat creme-fraiche or a splash of double cream
your choice of mustard, i use English for a kick but if you prefer grain looks prettier
1. Heat the olive oil or butter, meanwhile chop your onion, wipe away tears and then add to the oil. Crush your garlic and add to onions. You don't want to brown them, just soften them.
2. Cut your cauliflower in florets and put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, boil them until tender-not mush, even though this will be blended you don't want to have water-logged veg.
3. Add the bay leaf, the tender cauli, the potato and cooking water (you judge if you want all of it, you can leave some aside if you wish and add it after you've pureed the soup), bring it to a rolling boil and then turn it down to simmer for 10-15 mins.
4. When it's time to puree the soup, play 'hunt the bay leaf' and then puree with a hand held blender or transfer to a blender.
5. Pour back into the pan and reheat, adding the creme-fraiche, mustard and seasoning.
6. When you are ready to serve, put the soup into bowls and add the grated cheese. Enjoy in front of America's Next Top Model or similar.
I should add here that while cheese isn't exactly fat free i would never opt for the flavourless, rubber they label as the healthier option. If you use a cheese, lets say cheddar, go for the strong tasting one and you'll use less. I used an Applewood Cheddar which has a gloriously smokey taste. You could also go in a completely other direction with this soup and add some Garam Marsala to the onions and garlic, omitting the cheese at the end, making it a creamy, curried cauliflower soup instead. The choice is yours.
PS if you're wondering why there aren't any pictures it is because my camera has run out of power. As soon as I locate the charger I will be transmitting in technicolour once again.
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