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Snack-happy food that’s ready to attack any time
CLARE Latimer shows how to make a quick and tasty soup dish ideal for those of you in a hurryAfter all that cooking and travelling or whatever you may have been doing it is now rather good to get home and back to the routine of life.
Some of the family may be catching up with work or going to the sales in search for bargains so meals may be rather spasmodic.
For this reason I have chosen foods that will be happy waiting in the fridge for attack at any time.
Just reheat the soup in portions and slice up the bread. With a bowl of satsumas and nuts on the table as well, this is perfect for snack attack time.
Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup
A delicious warming and soothing soup perfect for this time of year.
It can be frozen so make double quantities if you wish and either freeze in one-portion sizes or in a large tub.
It is useful to keep some home-made soup in the freezer at this time of year in case you get ill and then you have a ready cure to hand.
Ingredients
One onion, peeled and chopped;
600g sweet potato, peeled and chunked;
Three cloves garlic, peeled and chopped;
Four cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped;
One tbsp olive oil;
One desp tomato puree;
One teasp ground cinnamon;
150g red lentils;
1.5 litres water;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Juice of two limes;
150 ml tub crème fraiche;
Handful fresh parsley or coriander.
Method
Put the onion, sweet potato, garlic, ginger and olive oil in a large saucepan and cook covered over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, cinnamon, lentils, water, salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Leave to cool slightly and then whiz in a blender until smooth.
Pour back into a saucepan and add the lime juice. Check the seasoning.
Reheat and then spoon into bowls. Spoon a dollop of crème fraiche in the middle of each bowl and sprinkle over a little chopped parsley or coriander.
Quick Wholemeal Bread
This will go perfectly with the soup and completes a delicious healthy and light supper dish.
If you want to keep the bread fresh and there are not many of you in the house, then slice it up and freeze the slices in a plastic bag. Take out a slice when needed and put it in the toaster for a few seconds to defrost for fresh warm bread or leave longer to make toast.
Ingredients
500g wholemeal flour;
Two tsp quick acting yeast;
One tsp salt;
One tbsp sunflower oil;
450ml warm water;
One tsp sugar.
Method
Blend the yeast in half the lukewarm water.
Put the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, add the yeast liquid and mix roughly.
Add the rest of the water and the oil.
Mix well, stirring for about five minutes with a wooden spoon (this can be done in a mixer with a dough hook).
Oil the loaf tins (choosing the size of loaf you require) and fill to half way with the mixture.
Smooth over the top and brush the top with water.
Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about half-an-hour.
The mixture should now have risen to about 1.2 inches from the top.
Preheat the oven 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5.
Cook the loaf or loaves for 30-50 minutes depending on their size.
To test whether the bread is cooked, remove from the tin and tap the bottom of the loaf. It should sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack.
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