Soup with vegetables in the starring role is my favourite winter lunch. To empty the crisper draw of the week’s leftovers before I visit the Farmer’s Market, I make my house specialty, aptly named “bottom of the fridge soup.” My mood is fickle so sometimes I simply dice the vegies and cook them in water so they make a tasty vegetable broth or alternatively I puree the cooked veg with a little milk or cream. Occasionally the result is a show stopper.
Allow me to introduce my latest success, creamy winter vegetable soup with toasted cumin, brown rice and chard.
Creamy Veg Soup with Chard and Toasted Cumin
400g Jap pumpkin, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 litre water plus 1 organic vegetable stock cube
1/2 cup light cream ( I used lactose free)
1/2 cup low fat milk ( I used lactose free)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/3 cup of brown rice, cooked
2 cups washed and finely chopped young Swiss chard (silverbeet)
garnish:
toasted cumin seeds
light cream
Put the prepared vegetables, water and stock cube into a large saucepan.
Bring the pot to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
Use a stick blender to puree the vegetables adding extra water if necessary to correct the consistency.
Stir in the cumin, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Stir in the chopped chard and cooked rice.
Return the pot to the heat, return to the boil and simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Stir in the milk and cream.
Serve the soup garnished with a little cream and a sprinkle of toasted cumin seeds.
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Sandra! I would have never thought to add chard (to be honest I had never even heard of it!). Love this recipe – feel free to come clean out the bottom of my fridge and create a healthy soup anytime! 😉
I look forward to meeting you at Eat Drink Blog xx
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Hi Amy, thanks for dropping by, looking forward to EatDrinkBlog enormously. I’ve lots to learn! Sxx
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Gosh this sounds so good Sandra! This is something I should learn to do each week before visiting the farmer’s market too. Also love the idea of adding in some brown rice to add to the heartiness.
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Thanks Margot, it’s definitely soup weather in Melbourne, there are so many variations that can be made with this basic idea…
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Sandra if this is a bottom-of-the-fridge soup, I tilt my hat to you. Looks like a top shelf soup to me! Yum! Love the sprinkling of toasted cumin seeds – I usually stir those babies through. Love the idea of using them as a textural topping.
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Well, the brown rice which I always have in my fridge + the cumin that thankfully we all are using more really make this soup and can’t wait to make it ‘just thus’ 🙂 ! Hope the choosing and packing are going OK!!
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Enjoy….
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Hmm, what a great recipe. Love the chard and the parsnips…
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Thanks Michelle, a simple homely but delicious soup
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Lovely addition of the rice. Soup season rocks.
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We love the texture of brown rice and I interchange it barley frequently
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Sounds delicious!! I love cumin in this kind of dishes, it really lift the flavour up!
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Thanks Serena, the cumin was the perfect compliment to the sweet vegetables
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Sandra, this sounds absolutely delicious. I love using chard in soups, but your version is different from anything I’ve ever made: I love that you added rice for more heartiness and creaminess, and the spices on top make it even more special.
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Thanks Darya, it was. Lovely warming soup
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