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Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Super soups to warm the heart
It's officially soup season! It is the coziest and most delicious time of year. We love a good soup. They are such a resourceful, economical meal and a great way to get the most out of your ingredients. There's a popular myth that soups are not satisfying enough to be considered a proper meal, which we hope to debunk for you all! If ever we feel a bit run down or start to feel a tickle in our throats, we reach for the soup pot. Nourishing, immunity-boosting, comforting soup has got it all. Soups also freeze well and are lovely to gift for those in need of some TLC — be it a new parent, sick friend, or neighbour in need. With this in mind, we have two gorgeous soup recipes to warm you up in the winter months. First, we have a perennial favourite, our Green Minestrone. This is a fab way to get a big dose of gut-friendly greens and beans — full of fibre and goodness. Like most vegetable soups, this one improves when made ahead of time and reheated a day or two later. We like to use lots of greens — make sure you slice them very finely so they cook quickly right at the end. We would like to note that if this is too green for your liking, you can lighten things up with less greens and an additional cup or two of stock. Our second recipe is for an incredibly easy and flavourful Carrot & Ginger Soup with Miso Butter. This wonderfully comforting and aromatic soup is a great immunity-boosting meal. We've used carrots, but it is also delicious with pumpkin or kūmara. This is something we often make in bulk and freeze, as it is a great pick-me-up to have at hand when you're feeling under the weather, or starting to lag at the end of a busy week; the flavours seem to get better with time, the miso adds a real depth of flavour and the ginger deeply infuses throughout the soup. Happy cooking, everyone! We hope these cozy recipes provide some comforting nourishment in these cold winter months. Newsletter Annabel and Rose Langbein's weekly newsletter, "What to Cook Tonight". New recipes, meal plans and tips and tricks delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up at: Green minestrone In this recipe, we serve the soup with a winter pistou — a vibrant herb sauce made with flat leaf parsley, that adds a bright herbaceous finish to the dish. Leftover pistou will keep, covered, in the fridge for about a week (it freezes well in small containers too). We love serving this with cheese toasties for an extra treat. Serves 8 Ready in 1 hr DF GF RSF V VE Ingredients ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 leeks, base and ⅔ of the green ends trimmed off, washed, halved lengthways, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 1 tsp salt 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1×400g can chopped tomatoes 1×400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1×400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed 8 cups vegetable stock 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1 Parmesan rind (optional) 2 packed cups of very finely sliced cavolo nero, coarse stems and central ribs removed 2 packed cups of shredded silverbeet leaves, white stems removed (save for stock pot) 1 cup dried pasta shapes, such as macaroni or gluten-free alternative Freshly ground black pepper Winter pistou 1 tightly packed cup of parsley leaves ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, finely grated ½ cup walnuts (optional) ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, to serve (optional) ½ tsp salt Method Heat oil in a heavy-based pot on medium heat. Add onion, leeks, garlic and salt and cook, stirring from time to time, until onions are completely soft and translucent (10-12 minutes). Stir in tomato paste and cook for a further couple of minutes until aromatic. Add canned tomatoes, beans, vegetable stock, carrots and Parmesan rind, if using. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. While that is cooking, make your pistou. Place parsley, oil, garlic, walnuts and Parmesan (if using) and salt in a small, wide-mouthed jar or bowl. Blitz to a smooth puree with a hand wand blender. Set aside. Pistou will keep in the fridge for up to a week or can be frozen in small ice block trays, thaw before using. Once your vegetables are tender, uncover the pot and stir through the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes less than the cooking time specified on the packet, then stir in the greens and cook for another 5-8 minutes until they and the pasta are tender. To serve, check seasonings and adjust to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a swirl of pistou. Notes • Annabel loves making a ham hock version of this minestrone. Boil a ham or bacon hock in plenty of water until it falls off the bone (about 2 hours), then take it out, reserving the cooking liquid, and when it's cool enough to handle, shred the meat off it. Follow the Minestrone recipe as per our instructions, using the reserved cooking liquid from the ham as your stock, and add the shredded ham in at the end. You can add a little smoked paprika and chilli flakes in with your onions for some spice if you like. • Save up your Parmesan rinds in a bag in the fridge or freezer and add them to your soups for an extra umami hit. Carrot and ginger soup with miso butter This warming soup is so flavourful and satisfying. We love it as is, but you can zhuzh it up by adding any of the following: roasted cauliflower or broccoli, roasted carrot, pumpkin, kūmara, a couple of handfuls of baby spinach, fried chickpeas or some kimchi. Serves 4-6 Ready in 40 mins DF GF RSF V VE Ingredients 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed oil 1 large onion, finely diced 1kg carrots, peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 60g ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 2 thumbs) 4 cups vegetable stock 2 Tbsp shiro or white miso paste 1 Tbsp butter (see note) 1 tsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice ¼ tsp salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 Tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish 1 tsp black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds, to garnish (optional) Method Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent (8-10 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the stock, then cover and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork (30 minutes). Take off the heat and stir in the miso paste, butter, and sesame oil. Use a handheld blender to puree the soup until smooth. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little hot water or stock to reach your desired consistency. Mix in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with coriander and sesame seeds. Note To make vegan, omit the butter and add an extra teaspoon of sesame oil.
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Cosy and comforting dishes to share
Late June brings us the winter solstice — the longest night of the year. This is also when we celebrate Matariki in New Zealand. Twinkling in the winter sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades or Seven Sisters) signals the Māori New Year. The appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy, and peace, and is an opportunity to come together and celebrate. Throughout the history of humanity, cultures all over the globe have acknowledged this moment, an auspicious date to come together to enjoy a winter feast. Long nights are especially well-suited for reflection and community — with this in mind, we're sharing two delicious recipes for your winter table. First, we have a gorgeous roasted pumpkin risotto, laced with lovely brown butter and sage to deliver the most satisfying and flavourful dish. Cozy and comforting, pumpkin and sage are a beloved combination — the robust flavours of sage pair wonderfully with sweet, hearty pumpkin. When you brown butter, you get the most heavenly nutty flavour, with a slight sweetness and rich decadence. It's a great trick to have up your sleeve when you want to add an indulgent x-factor. We recommend using a butternut pumpkin here — its soft texture and flavour are well suited to this recipe. Roasting the pumpkin with a little maple syrup coaxes out those wonderful caramelised flavours and sweetness, which pair so well with a creamy risotto. To accompany this, we have an elegant Italian winter salad with orange and anchovy. This beautiful salad is a wonderful way to brighten your plate and celebrate winter's delicious bitter greens, which are great for your liver, aid digestion, and are excellent for balancing out hearty winter dishes. As with most salads, you can adapt this as you see fit. Use hazelnuts or almonds in place of walnuts, and parmesan or pecorino in place of the manchego. If you are not using anchovies in the dressing, you will need to add a little more salt to taste. This salad is also delicious with the addition of thinly sliced apple or pear. Newsletter Annabel and Rose Langbein's weekly newsletter, "What to Cook Tonight". New recipes, meal plans, and tips and tricks delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up at: Italian winter salad with orange and anchovy This beautiful salad is the perfect accompaniment to rich, wintry dishes. If you can't find radicchio or endive, use crunchy cos and a couple of handfuls of baby spinach in their place. Serves 4 Ready in 10mins, plus crisping DF, GF, RSF Ingredients 2 small bulbs of fennel, base and ends trimmed, halved and very thinly sliced lengthways 1 small head radicchio, base trimmed, leaves pulled apart, larger leaves torn 1 small Belgian endive, base trimmed, leaves pulled apart 1 small red endive, base trimmed, leaves pulled apart 2 big handfuls of rocket or watercress, rinsed, dried, tough stems removed ½ cup roasted walnuts, chopped 60g Manchego or parmesan, shaved using a potato peeler (optional) Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Orange and anchovy dressing ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil finely grated zest of ½ orange 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or chardonnay vinegar 2 Tbsp orange juice 2 anchovies, finely chopped (optional) ¼ tsp salt Method To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Prepare a large bowl of iced water for your fennel to soak until slices start to curl up (15-20 minutes). If you're tight for time, you can skip this step. Remove the fennel from the water, dry, and transfer to a large bowl along with your other vegetables. Toss to combine. Transfer a third of your vegetables on to a serving platter, drizzle with a third of the dressing, then sprinkle with a third of the nuts and shaved cheese. Add another third of the vegetables, followed by the dressing, nuts, and cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Gently toss the salad, forming a gentle pile in the middle of your serving plate. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Roasted pumpkin risotto Knowing how to make a good risotto is a skill you will have for life, and thanks to Annabel's foolproof method, it's also very easy. While there are many schools of thought when it comes to making risotto, Annabel's one-and-done method requires minimal effort (and attention), perfect for busy lives. Serves 4 Ready in 40mins GF, RSF, V Ingredients 2 tbsp butter 1 large brown onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and chopped Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves 1½ cups arborio rice ¾ cup dry white wine 5 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock ½ cup finely grated parmesan Squeeze of lemon, to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper Roasted pumpkin 1 small pumpkin (600g), peeled, deseeded, chopped 2cm 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp maple syrup Salt and freshly ground black pepper Sage and brown butter 3 Tbsp butter 20 sage leaves Method For the pumpkin, preheat your oven to 180°C fanbake and line an oven tray with baking paper. Place chopped pumpkin in a mixing bowl with olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine, then spread out in an even layer on your tray and roast until golden and tender (30 minutes). Use a fork to mash the cooked pumpkin on the roasting tray, and set aside. While that is roasting, you can get started on your risotto. Heat butter in a large heavy pot over a medium-low heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened (4 minutes). Stir in garlic, lemon zest, and chopped sage and cook for a further minute until aromatic. Stir in the rice and allow it to toast for about 30 seconds before adding the white wine. Once the wine has evaporated, add the stock. Check seasoning and adjust to taste (this will depend on how salty your stock is). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. Stir in your mashed roasted pumpkin and continue cooking until the rice is creamy and just tender (an additional 3–5 minutes). At this point, test the rice — it should have a tiny white core in the centre of each grain. At this stage, the rice will be al dente — tender but with a pleasing bite. If the core is bigger, continue cooking for another few minutes. It needs to be cooked before you add the final ingredients. If the rice begins to dry out, add another ½ cup of hot stock or water — it should be quite soupy. Stir in parmesan and lemon juice, and adjust seasonings to taste. Let that sit for a minute while you prepare the sage and brown butter. Heat butter and sage in a pan over a medium heat. Cook until butter is bubbling and sage leaves are crispy (1 minute). To serve, portion the risotto into serving bowls and top with brown butter and crispy sage leaves.
