James Callaghan

Tag: Soup

  • Grandads carrot soup recipe

    Grandads carrot soup recipe

    A few friends have asked me to share my Grandads carrot soup recipe with them but I decided to share it here instead. It’s a recipe that originates from grandad Callaghan hence the name. Often this Carrot Soup recipe is served for Christmas dinner but great all year round. More recently I make this as a quick start for dinner parties with some homemade bread rolls.

    Grandads Carrot Soup - Simmering
    Grandads Carrot Soup – Simmering

    Grandads Carrot Soup Recipe

    Serves: 4
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 45 mins
    Ready in 60 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 1 lb carrots, peeled and grated
    • 8 ozs potatoes, peeled and diced
    • 2 small onions, finely chopped
    • 1 ½ pints of vegetable stock
    • White pepper to taste
    • 1 ½ tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp double cream
    • 2 tsp of Paprika
    • 1 tbsp of fennel seeds

    Method

    1. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over moderate heat.
    2. Reduce the heat to low and sweat of the chopped onions.
    3. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan.
    4. Add the Fennel seeds and optionally the Paprika to add a slightly smokey taste to the Carrot Soup.
    5. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
    6. Season to taste with the salt and white pepper
    7. Remove the pan from the heat and either press the Carrot Soup through a strainer placed over a medium-sized mixing bowl or alternatively use a blender directly in the pan (tip: place cling film around the top of the pan and blender to avoid making a mess).
    8. Return the pan to a simmer uncovered until the soup thickens.
    9. Stir in the cream and add more seasoning if necessary.
    10. Serve Grandads Carrot Soup in hot bowls with a swirl of cream and sprinkle of fennel seeds.
    • Grandads Carrot Soup - Peeled Carrots
    • Grandads Carrot Soup - Ingredients
    • Grandads Carrot Soup - Grated Carrots
    • Grandads Carrot Soup - Simmering

    If there is excess Carrot Soup consider freezing some in suitable containers to have for a quick meal when such a time arrises.

    It’s a pretty straight forward Carrot Soup recipe and I hope you enjoy as much as I do. The hardest part is all the peeling and grating and let’s be honest that’s not that hard! Enjoy on behalf of Grandad Callaghan

  • Green Pea Chowder or Green Pea Soup to some

    Green Pea Chowder or Green Pea Soup to some

    This green pea chowder recipe is one of my favourites. It’s so simple with a delicious result under 20 minutes. It has a beautiful colour with a nourishingly filling flavour.

    Pea Chowder or Pea Soup
    Pea Chowder or Pea Soup

    It is perfect in the darkest of Winters or the warmest of Summers. It’s said to be best-served piping hot in the early days of Winter accompanied with garlic bread, but I think this green pea soup is excellent all year round. It’s perfected with a serving of pea leaf if you can track some down!

    Serves: 2
    Prep Time: 5min
    Cook Time: 15min

    Ingredients:

    • 2tbsp butter
    • 450g frozen Peas (tablespoon kept back to serve as decoration)
    • 600ml milk
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 bay leaves
    • Small bunch of mint leaves, chopped
    • Single cream for thinning
    • Salt and white pepper to taste
    • Chives, chopped
    • Pea leaf

    Method:

    1. Heat up the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
    2. Simmer all the above ingredients apart from the cream for 15 minutes.
    3. Remove the bay leaves and liquidise.
    4. Thin out with cream and add seasoning as necessary.
    5. Add garnish such as chives, a sprinkle of pea leaf and a decorative swirl of whipping cream.