Vege soup

Homemade vege soup is terrifically good.


It takes me 3 hours to percolate a good soup.
I can rush one through in 2 hours but is it just not the same.


In brief .......

Cut up ALL of the veges first. Mainly pumpkin and root veges.
It starts off in a big rush then slows down beautifully later.


In a BIG soup pot make the base. Pot is very hot, oil almost smoking.
Onion, garlic, I like cinnamon seeds, maybe some BBQ sauce, got any spices you like ?? It has to sizzle when these go in the pot.
Hot and fast. Hence, everything already cut up. Stir/swirl it around. Don't let anything stick to the bottom

After about 3 mins add the diced pumpkin, maybe some sweet potato, carrots. Careful not too many carbs.
No water yet. The root veges rapidly brown. Do not burn them.
This pushes the flavours into the veges. Reduce the temp, stir it often.
Boil water in a jug, use just a bit of that water to make a soup broth in a cup with vege or beef cube. Put it to a side. Careful to use a low salt cube

Add just enough hot water from the jug to cover most of the veges. You can add more later.
Stir it so nothing burns/sticks to the bottom.
Turn the heat off, put a heavy glass lid on it.
Have a rest.

For the next few hours turn the heat on and off. It's mainly off.
You want the soup to 'sweat'. No boiling, not even any bubbles, just the occasional wisp of steam coming from the soup.
Add in your soup broth along the way.

Cook the greens separately.
After serving you can garnish the top with herbs or shredded chicken.

I served one of my soups to a friend who had just flown in from London.
It was only a 2 hour soup, so not my best. I was not happy about it.
She was very pleased. After travelling for over a day, this sort of 'soft warm' food is calming.

Your body will tell you if it's 'good' or not.