Chicken and Potato Soup with Bacon

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, sliced
250g smoked lean back bacon, chopped (or pancetta)
2 large leeks, sliced
2 tbsp plain flour (corn flour if making gluten free)
1 litre chicken stock
800g potatoes, chopped
200g skinless chicken breasts, chopped
4 tbsp cream/yoghurt

Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the bacon and leeks and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour with enough stock to make a smooth paste, then stir into the pan. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Pour in the remaining stock, then add the potatoes and chicken.
3. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are tender and cooked through.
4. Stir in the cream/yoghurt and cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and ladle in to bowls. Garnish with grilled bacon and parsley.

Taken from 100 Best Fresh Soups

Leek and Potato Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients
55g butter
1 onion, chopped
3 leeks, sliced
225g potatoes, cut into cubes
850ml vegetable stock
150ml single cream (or plain yoghurt)
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives, to serve


Instructions 
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, leeks and potatoes and saute gently for 203 minutes, until soft but not brown. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. 
3. Heat in a saucepan, swirled with the cream or yoghurt, and garnished with chives.

Taken from 100 Best Fresh Soups

Spiced Carrot and Ginger Soup

Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, seeded and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (gluten free)
salt and pepper
plain yoghurt

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger, onion and chillies. Cook gently for 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, parsnips and carrots, then pour in the stock.
2. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the parsnips and carrots are tender.
3. Process the soup in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with a little yoghurt and sprinkled with mint.

Taken from 500 soups

Morrocan Chickpea and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2tsp fresh root ginger, grated
1 level tsp ground ginger
1 level tsp ground cumin
1/2 level tsp ground cinnamon
250g sweet potato (peeled weight), cut into small cubes
150g carrots, cubed
400g can chopped tomatoes
700ml vegetable stock
400g can chick peas, drained and rinsed

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan, cook the onion until soft. Add the ginger and spices and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato, carrots, tomatoes and stock. Heat until simmering. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove a third of the vegetables with half of the cooking liquid and puree using a hand-held blender or processor. Return to the pan with the chickpeas.
4. Heat through and serve with the pitta bread.

Taken from ASDA Magazine January 2013

Spiced Carrot Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
generous pinch of cayenne pepper
1 small potato, diced
1lb carrots, sliced
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Juice of 1 orange
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and ground black pepper
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and cook gently for 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, ginger, paprika, and cayenne pepper, then add the potato, carrots and stock.
2. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Process the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Stir in the orange juice, then add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Taken from 500 Soups.

Curried Parsnip Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, seeded and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
5 parsnips, peeled and chopped
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Juice of about 1/2 lemon
Salt and ground black pepper
Plain yoghurt and wedges of naan bread to serve

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, onion and chillies, and cook gently for about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, and parsnips, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, until the parsnips are tender.
2. Process the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup topped with a little yoghurt and sprinkled with mint, with wedges of naan bread on the side.

Taken from 500 Soups

Cream of Roasted Swede Soup

Ingredients: 

1 swede, peeled and cut into cubes

3 tbsp olive oil 

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely sliced

2 stalks celery, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

6 stalks fresh thyme, leaves only

1.25 litres/2 pints vegetable stock 

142ml/5fl oz carton single cream 

fresh thyme leaves to garnish

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. Place the cubes of swede in a roasting tray. Drizzle over two tablespoons of the olive oil and season.

3. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and thyme leaves and fry for 4-5 minutes until softened but not browned.

5. Add the roasted swede to the pan and pour over the stock.

6. Bring gently to the boil, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Purée the soup in a food processor or liquidiser until completely smooth. Pass through a sieve for an extra fine texture if preferred.

8. Transfer the soup back to a clean saucepan. Stir in most of the cream, reserving some for garnishing. Gently heat through and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

9. Serve in warm bowls or a soup tureen and garnish with a swirl of cream, some fresh thyme leaves and freshly ground black pepper. 

Taken from BBC Food - Anthony Worral Thompson

Tips: I didn't use the single cream - just a splash of milk before heating to serve.