Soup up this winter

There’s nothing like a hot bowl of steaming soup on a cold winter evening. And with the cold months here, guests not only appreciate when a dinner begins with a fortifying soup, they have come to expect it these days.
While a soup doesn’t have to be Continental or Oriental in origin, nothing beats a hot tom yum or a smooth cream of mushroom soup to enliven a winter’s evening.

Thai Tom Yum Soup (serves two)

The easiest way to make tom yum soup of course is to buy a packet of tom yum paste from your local supermarket and follow the instructions. While most are happy with the results, nothing beats the satisfaction and taste of a soup made from scratch. The two things that you will need to lay your hands on, however, are lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. The two are absolutely essential for a classic tom yum soup.

Ingredients
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass, (peel, chop and mince the lower 1/3rd in a food processor)
3 kaffir lime leaves
12 medium prawns, shelled
2 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp dried crushed chilli
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup fresh mushrooms (shitake is best), thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, sliced
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Method
Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a deep pan and add the minced lemongrass and the top part of it that is intact. Boil for 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli, kaffir lime leaves and mushrooms to the broth. Let it cook for another five minutes.
Add fish sauce, prawns and bell pepper and cook till the prawns are pink and done.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

The cream of mushroom soup has been a staple order at continental restaurants for decades. It is simple to make and with fresh mushrooms, just delicious.
Ingredients
500 gm mushrooms
90 gm butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp flour
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp cream
Salt and pepper

Method
Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut the stems and caps.
Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the butter, add the bay leaf, garlic and onions. Cook till the onions are translucent.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring continuously. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir so the mushrooms are evenly coated. Pour in the hot chicken stock and bring the broth to a boil. Remove from heat, remove the bay leaf and leave the soup to cool.
When the soup has cooled slightly, pour in a food processor and blend till smooth.
Return the soup to the pan. Add salt and pepper and bring it to a boil. Stir in the cream and serve.

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