Summer Soups

A request came in from Ritu for Summer foods that are light non-greasy and not so spicy. I thought I'd start with a posting of light summer soups. They're great before a meal, because they fill you up, or even as a snack by themselves. Last year George gifted me this great book called
The New Book of Soups

Here are a few soup recipes adapted from this book.

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
1/2 kg tomatoes
3 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
500 ml stock ( you can make this from 2 soup cubes stirred into hot water)
salt to taste
fresh black pepper

1. Cut the red peppers and de-seed. Chop into small pieces
2. Heat oil, add onions, garlic, cook till soft. I add some dry red chilli flakes.
3. Add red peppers and roughly blended tomatoes.
4. Add salt, pepper, and salt
5. Add the stock and bring to a boil.
6. Simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes. You can blend this soup once ready but to eat it with the chunks of red peppers gives it a nice texture.
7. Add ready made croûtons or home made ones!

Mushroom and Potato soup

2 packets of button mushroom
1 packet oyster mushrooms ( Available at Namdhari's)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 potatoes chopped small
2 onions chopped into small bits
salt and pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves chopped
4 cups stock ( made with cubes will do)

1. Clean the mushrooms and chop into medium sized bits.
2. Heat oil and saute onions, add a few red chilli flakes if you like things hot! Cook till soft.
3. Add garlic and potatoes. Add salt and pepper. Stir.
4. Add stock and bring to boil.
5. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
6. If you like, thicken the soup when done by blending 2 cups of the soup and let the rest be chunky.

This soup is filling and tastes great with toast. Its a complete meal.