Soup

[LuLu]

I made a cheesy cauliflower soup with herby croutons at Christmas, it went down a treat. It’s a Good Food recipe and will post the recipe if anyone would like it.

[Suffs]

What sort of cheese did you use?

[Pampy]

I make cauliflower cheese soup too - love it! I use a strong cheddar.

[scullion]

i make that, too - when (if) there's ever leftover cauliflower cheese.

[LuLu]

Suffs, I use a strong mature cheddar and some Parmesan. The croutons are mixed with herbs, Parmesan and garlic granules.

[Suffs]

Sounds delicious.
Most of the soups I make have to be ok for OHs lunch flask … I sometimes find that soup with cheese in can get a bit ‘gloopy’ in a flask … anyone else find that?

[Sakkarin]

My "use up everything in the fridge" soup had bacon, leek, onion, garlic, potato, a wee bit of carrot and celery mirepoix, some ancho/chipotle and mixed dried herbs. I didn't add my leftover cauliflower, didn't think it would go with what was basically a leek and potato soup. It was great, lasted three days. I cheated though, sneaked in half a stock cube.

[KeenCook]

Sakk, what stock cubes do you use?

[Sakkarin]

Tesco own brand chicken stock cube, although looking at the ingredients there probably wasn't much point!*
It was really an afterthought because I was ashamed of not having any proper stock to hand, used it all up over Christmas.

*0.5 stock cube = 5 grams, of which 1% is chicken = .05g of chicken.

P.S. I just measured 0.1g (i.e. a WHOLE stock cube's worth) on my very accurate mini weighing machine using sugar, it is just a few grains. So there was half this amount in 1.5 litres of soup.

[Earthmaiden]

It's amazing how it lifts the flavour sometimes though!

KC - I'm the only person in the world who's not keen on Marigold bouillon powder and also dislike brands like Knorr. I find they have a rather too distinctive taste. I have been using Kallo cubes recently (the flavour depending on what I am using them for) and am hugely impressed. They have the most natural taste I've found without (IMO) screaming 'stock cube!'. I even added two chicken cubes to some rather bland soup the other day and it wasn't at all unpleasant.

[Suffs]

I like the Kallo stock cubes and use them quite often. I find the Marigold Low Salt powder has a better taste than the normal.

[Rainbow]

It's amazing how it lifts the flavour sometimes though!

KC - I'm the only person in the world who's not keen on Marigold bouillon powder and also dislike brands like Knorr. I find they have a rather too distinctive taste. I have been using Kallo cubes recently (the flavour depending on what I am using them for) and am hugely impressed. They have the most natural taste I've found without (IMO) screaming 'stock cube!'. I even added two chicken cubes to some rather bland soup the other day and it wasn't at all unpleasant.

Not the only one, EM! I bought a tub of Marigold vegetable stock powder and found it gave everything a distinctive, unpleasant (to me) taste. I threw away most of the tub when we packed up to move!

[Badger's Mate]

Another thumbs up for Kallo from me. I tend to use the various low salt versions but also the French onion soup & umami ones.

As an aside, when I was cooking for Mrs B pre-transplant, I asked a number of companies if they could tell me the potassium or phosphate content of their products. Many didn’t know, it’s not a legal requirement. Some ignored the request or were dismissive. Kallo had the information and were happy to share. I’m not sure if I could find the numbers now, it was 14 years ago, but their response impressed me.

[Stokey Sue]

I use the Kallo cubes too, recently I bought a tub of Marigold bouillon as it’s often handy to be able to add just a pinch but it’s not nearly as nice as the Kallo cubes imo and Kallo stock powder no longer seems to be around. Someone (WWordsworth?) said the Suma bouillon powder was good but I’ve never seen it in a shop though it’s online.

When I was training technicians I used to tell them that 100mg (or 0.1g, same) was roughly a sweetener tablet - they aren’t exactly 100mg but it gives an impression of the scale.

Today’s project is seasonal Scotch broth.

[LuLu]

Yum, scotch broth . I have given up making this since there is wheat in the cereals, my latest task is finding gluten free lentils so I can make pea and ham soup but I may have to resort to buying them online

[KeenCook]

I must say I have been really impressed with the Kallo chicken cubes. When I was getting over the bacterial stomach thing I had recently, OH was making me chicken soup every day, (aka Jewish Penicillin ), and we discovered the Kallo chicken cubes - and won't look back!

I'm OK with Marigold although it smells a bit weird in the tub when you take the lid off.

Having "discovered" Kallo, I am now stuck with lots of other brands that will need using up ... hmm!
I read various reviews of budget vegetable stock cubes and I think the Sainsbury's ones came out the best, and so I got a few packets last time I was in there. I've also got some Knorr.

[halfateabag]

Lunchtime soup today was M'room made with HM ckx. stock - by eck, it was tasty.

[WWordsworth]

I will be making soup from broccoli stalks shortly.
Might add a handful of orzo at the end.

It wasn't me who recommended Suma bouillon but I do like their products.

[Stokey Sue]

Both the local independent grocery stores have greatly increased the range of Suma products they sell recently, but no bouillon. I recommend the paprika, which is the best I’ve found outside Hungary, and cheap enough to use by the TBS. . I might mention it to S if I see him.

I made the curried parsnip soup, got it just right this time, a good knob of butter, a small onion, a garlic clove, a small potato (instead of flour), 2 medium parsnip probably 300+ g in total, a level tsp Madras curry powder, a bit less of garam masala, salt, Marigold powder. Covered with water, pressure cook 10 minutes, blitz. About 900ml, could have thinned to a litre.

That really is all the curry spice needed.

[Badger's Mate]

I too like just a note of curry in parsnip soup, rather than a curry with parsnip tendencies.