Monday, January 01, 2007

Winter Soul Warmers

A selection of wonter soul warmers. photo by Equalizer.


The new year has arrived and after the rubble has settled, we are still in need of something warm and soothing. With temperatures dropping to uncomfortable levels, staying at home and enjoying comfort foods along with good company and prefferebly a classic movie can't be any better.

I have noticed that many bloggers have been thinking about soups these days, so I thought why not do one? I needed something starchy as well as something that adds a nice crunch, so i created the following wonderful recipes.

Cinnamon & Clove Spiced Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup. Photo by Equalizer


Ingredients:

2 Large Butternut Squash peeled and chopped
1 cup red lentil
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 chicken bouillon
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs Olive Oil
5 cups boiling water
salt to taste
fresh cracked black pepper

Method:

Heat olive oil and sautee garlic. Add butternut squash, spices and stir well. Add lentils, chicken bouillon and boiling water. Cook for 1 hour until lentils and squash are soft. Blend soup in blender until you reach desired consistency. Return to pot, add cream, pepper and salt and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve with cripsy fried leeks and spring onion (below)

Crispy Fried Leeks. Photo by Equalizer.


Chipotle & Maple Caramelized Onion Potato Mash. Photo by Equalizer.