Roast pumpkin soup with walnuts & herb oil

For ➏ 

1 kg pumpkin, such as kabocha 

400 g sweet potatoes, unpeeled 

15 cl olive oil 

5 g sage leaves 

1 red chilli, thinly sliced on an angle (10 g) 

1 leek, trimmed & cut into 2mm rounds (200 g) 

1 large onion, peeled & roughly chopped (240 g) 

10 g piece fresh ginger, peeled & julienned 

fine sea salt 

½ ts smoked paprika 

½ ts ground coriander 

2 small potatoes (200 g) 

60 g walnuts 

1½ tbs maple syrup 

10 g coriander leaves, finely chopped 

10 g parsley leaves, finely chopped 

1 ts finely grated lemon zest 

Heat the oven to 220° C (200° C fan)/425F/gas 7. Put the whole pumpkin and sweet potatoes on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and roast, turning once halfway, for an hour, until soft and golden. Remove and turn down the oven to 180° C (160° C fan)/350F/gas 4. Once they’re cool enough to handle, use a metal spoon to peel off the pumpkin and sweet potato skins, and to scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Meanwhile, put 80ml olive oil in a small saucepan on a medium heat, then add the sage leaves and fry for about 2 m, until deeply green. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the sage, transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper and leave to crisp up. Add the chilli to the hot oil, fry, stirring occasionally, for about 2 m, until deeply red, then transfer to the kitchen paper alongside the sage. 

Transfer the hot oil to a large saucepan on a medium heat, add the leek, onion, ginger and three teaspoons of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 m, until soft and translucent. Add the smoked paprika and ground coriander, cook for a minute, until fragrant, then add the cooked pumpkin and sweet potato flesh, and 1.6 litres of water. Peel and grate the potatoes on to a chopping board, then add to the soup before they discolour. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 m. While the soup is cooking, make the nut brittle. Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper, top with the walnuts, maple syrup and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and toss to coat. Roast, stirring once halfway, for about 10 m, until toasted and golden brown, then remove, sprinkle the fried sage and chilli on top, toss to combine and leave to cool. 

Once the nut mix is cool, scrunch up the paper to crush the brittle into smaller pieces. Make the herb oil by combining the coriander, parsley, lemon zest, remaining 70 ml oil and a quarter-ts of salt in a small bowl. Once the soup has cooked, take off the heat and blitz with a stick or regular blender until smooth and velvety. Add a splash more water to loosen, if need be, then divide between six bowls. Scatter the maple walnut brittle on top and serve drizzled with the herb oil.

♥︎Miso soup with pak choi & citrus balls

For ➋ large or ➍ small bowls 

1 l chicken or vegetable stock 

1 piece of ginger (1 thumb in size) 

4 small or 1 large pak choi  

2 handfuls of green leafy vegetables such as spinach or asparagus 

1 tbs dark or red miso 

for the meatballs: 

400 g minced poultry (or pork, beef or a mix) 

1 shallot 

1 clove of garlic 

1 piece of ginger (2.5 cm)

grated zest of 1 unsprayed orange & lemon 

25 blades of chives 

5 sprigs of coriander, the leaves (or other green herbs such as basil or parsley) 

salt & black pepper from the mill 

finish with available: roasted sesame oil, chili flakes, sesame seeds, soy sauce, green herbs, spring onion, fresh chili peppers, etc. 

Bring the stock to the boil with the sliced ginger (no need to peel it). Let the pot simmer gently with the lid on while you roll the meatballs. To do this, finely grate the ginger and chop the shallot, garlic and herbs. Mix together with the grated orange and lemon zest into the minced meat. Season the minced meat with salt and pepper and roll it into balls the size of a cherry. Remove the ginger from the broth. Then cook the meatballs in it for 3 to 5 minutes until done (when they float to the top, they are ready). Remove the stems from the pak choi and let it cook for 3 m, so that they are cooked but still have bite. Place a few tablespoons of stock in a bowl and dissolve the miso in it. Mix into the soup together with the green leafy vegetables. Or: after temporarily removing the balls, add the miso all the vegetables, first the hard white bok choy, then the green, to the broth. Add the balls at the end. 

Fen'neru miso (fennel miso with ginger)

For ➍

2 tbs vegetable oil

500 g fennel bulbs, finely sliced

1 carrot, in thin sticks

white of 2 leeks, in rings

2 potatoes, peeled, diced

2.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

½ small green chilli peppers, sliced

1 small red chilli pepper, sliced

1 ts fennel seeds, crushed

salt

3 tbs red miso paste with barley

1.5 l dashi stock*

150 g watercress, chopped + extra for garnish

5 snow peas, halved

1 tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, carrot, leek and potatoes and fry the vegetables for a few minutes, until they are soft. Stir in the ginger, garlic, chillies, and fennel seeds. Season with salt and let everything cook on low heat for 10 m.

Dissolve the miso in 1.2 dl of boiling dashi stock.

Stir the miso mixture and remaining stock into the soup.

Let the soup simmer for 15-20 m, until the potatoes are soft. Add the watercress and snow peas. Boil gently for another 3 m.

Add the lemon juice to the soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls.

Garnish with additional watercress and serve the soup hot.

*Use chicken or mushroom stock

Rucola soup

For ➍
1 large shallot
1 garlic
2 small loose potatoes
1 l chicken broth
150 g rucola
2 tbs of cream
50 g sun-dried tomatoes
olive oil
marjoram dried
pepper & salt

Peel and chop the clove of garlic and the shallot coarsely. Fry in a dash of olive oil until the onion turns translucent. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Add to the onion and put immediately with the chicken broth. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 15 m.
Finely chop the arugula. Add once the potato cubes are well cooked. Allow to warm up and lower the heat. Mix into a smooth soup. Season with pepper, salt and some dried marjoram. Add 2 tbs of cream and warm on a low heat. Meanwhile slice the sundried tomatoes into fine strips.
Serve the soup with a slice of sundried tomatoes in each plate. Serve with toasted bread.

Fiskisupa (Nordic fish soup)

For ➍
700 g cod fillet
1 kg mussels
2 celery stalks
3 leek whites
¼ celeriac
2 onions
5 dl water
1 dl white wine
30 g butter
1 bay leaf
some sprigs of chives
pepper & salt
150 g samphire
5 dl chicken broth

Chop the leeks, cut the peeled celeriac into small cubes and chop 1 onion. Fry them 5 m on medium heat in a stew pan with the melted butter.
Add the stock, the water, the bay leaf, pepper and salt.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 m on low heat. Let rest 5 m, remove the bay leaf and mix finely.
Meanwhile, clean the mussels and put them in a small casserole with chopped celery and 1 chopped onion. Put the lid on the pan and cook the mussels on a high heat, until they open (± 5 m). Shake the pot occasionally. Pour the cooking liquid into a decanter, and pour it slowly into the soup.
Put the samphire and wine in a small sauté pan. Put the chopped cod on top of it, put the lid on the pan and heat gently. Remove from the heat as soon as the wine is boiling and leave to rest 5 m. Season with pepper and salt. [Just before serving, add a lick of cream and give another twist to the pepper mill.]*
Arrange the pieces of fish with the samphire and the mussels in deep plates, pour over the hot soup and serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped chives.

*Optional.

Kaukswe (Burmese chicken curry soup)

For ➍-➏
for the soup:
650 g boneless chicken thighs
1 tbs dried ginger
1 tbs dried turmeric
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tbs neutral oil, such as grapeseed
2 cloves garlic
2.5 cm piece ginger, peeled
1 shallot, peeled
1 dried hot chilli
1 bunch fresh coriander
5 cl unrefined coconut oil or a neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed
400 g cubed sweet potatoes
40 cl chicken stock
40 cl unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbs fish sauce
2 limes, 1 juiced &1 quartered
salt, to taste
for the crispy shallots:
1 peeled shallot, sliced thinly
20 cl neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed

In a food processor, mince the garlic, ginger, shallot, dried chilli, and the roots and/or stems of the bunch of coriander.  Cut the chicken thighs into about 2.5 cm pieces. Marinate overnight with the dried ginger, turmeric, coriander, and 1 tbs of neutral oil. (Or toss the chicken pieces with the spices before you start cooking.)
In the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil. Then add the cubed sweet potato. Fry until golden brown on at least 2 sides of each cube. Scoop out of the pan, leaving the oil, and set aside.
Add the chicken pieces (a few at a time so you can brown them without having them cool the pan down) and let them begin to brown. Season with a pinch of salt. When they are mostly browned, add the minced mix, stem mixture and let cook out a little.
Add a couple tbs of the chicken stock and let reduce until the mixture is soft and cooked. Add the rest of the chicken stock and the reserved sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile fry the crispy shallots (this can also be done as much as a week ahead of time, as the shallots will keep in a closed container at room temperature for a week at least). In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the shallots and stir frequently. As the oil continues to heat, the shallots will start to color. When they get golden brown, scoop them out of the oil and drain on a paper towel. You want to pull them out of the oil a little before dark brown, as they'll continue to cook and crisp up on the paper towel.
Simmer the soup for about 30 m, until the chicken and sweet potatoes are close to tender. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and coconut milk and bring up to a simmer. Stir in a quarter cup of coriander leaves and taste for salt.
Serve garnished with the crispy shallots, a couple of sprigs of raw coriander, and the lime wedges. Add some noodles if you want.

Schwe payon hinjo (Burmese pumpkin soup)

For ➍ 

1 tbs peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
750 g pumpkin (or other winter squash), peeled, seeded & cubed
1 l chicken stock (or, traditionally, water)
salt & pepper
50 g basil leaves, finely sliced*

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Lightly sauté the garlic for 3 m, until it is fragrant. Add the cubed pumpkin and stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 m, until pumpkin is tender. Purée in a blender, solids first, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, stir in finely sliced basil and ladle into bowls.

*Use Thai (sweet) basil, if possible.

This pumpkin soup is a classic Burmese dish, that can also be served as a drink with other Burmese dishes.
Banknotes are from the democratic Union of Burma, ended in 1962 by a military regime.

Cold melon soup with Ganda ham

For ➍
1 ripe cantaloupe melon 1 kg
juice of 1 orange
juice of a ¼ lemon
½ ts sea salt
½ ts pink pepper*
sugar**
4 slices Ganda ham, cut in ribbons***

Peel the melon. Purée the meat. Mix juices through it. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
Refrigerate for a few h.
Spoon ¼ of the ham through the soup. Serve and decorate with the rest of the ham.
(Add a few ice cubes).

*Or use shichimi togarashi mix
**optional
***Use Parma ham instead.

Dry-cured Ganda ham is made near Ghent and is considered to be as tasteful as the Parma.

Cannellini soup with garlic & parsley

For ➍-➏
8 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 ts chopped garlic
350 g cooked cannellini or other white beans, from dried beans (recommended)*
salt & black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
25 cl homemade beef stock or water**
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
thick grilled or toasted slices of crusty bread (optional)

Put the oil and chopped garlic in a soup pot and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the garlic, stirring it, until is becomes colored a very pale gold. Add the drained cooked or canned beans, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 5 to 6 m.
Take about 100 g of beans from the pot and puree them through a food mill back into the pot, together with all the broth.
Alternately, use a blender, loosening with a bit of the broth. Simmer for another 5 to 6 m, taste, and correct for salt and pepper. Swirl in the chopped parsley, and turn off the heat.
Ladle over the grilled bread slices into individual soup bowls.

*cannellini bean = white kidney bean = fazolia bean
For dried beans, soak them in lots of cold water for a minimum of 5 h. Drain and rinse, then put them in a large pan, cover with 5 cm of cold water, bring to the boil, scoop off any foam, then boil for a further 10 m. Scoop the foam off again, then add just a little salt (too much salt before they're cooked will harden the skin, as will anything acidic like lemon juice or tomatoes), and simmer gently with the pan lid half on for 1 to 1.5 h, until tender. Keep an eye on the water level, and add more if necessary.
**Use a little less water or broth (5 cl) and oil (2 tbs) to make a thicker mash that can be served as a side dish with roast white fish, spicy chorizo and grilled scallop, or spread on thick bread.

Iced zucchini velouté

For ➍
250 g natural yoghurt
10 large mint leaves
2 medium zucchini (600g), diced, unpeeled
pepper & salt
4 tbs pine nuts
2 cubes low-fat broth

Bring 50 cl of water to a boil with the stock. Add the zucchini and cook for 8 m.
Grill the pine nuts in a non-stick pan without fat.
Take the cooked courgettes from heat, add 25 cl of cold water, pour into a bowl and let cool completely.
Add the yogurt and mint leaves to the cold soup. Mix until smooth and put in the refrigerator.
If necessary, add some ice cubes in the soup when serving.

Gazpacho of lettuce, garden peas & chives

For ➍
2 onions
25 g butter
1 lettuce
450 g green peas (frozen)
75 cl water
1½ chicken stock tablet
25 g chives

Chop the onions. Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the onion 3 m. Remove the leaves of lettuce. Wash and dry them and cut into strips.
Put the peas, lettuce, water and stock cubes in the soup pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 m on low heat.
Keep some chives for garnish. Cut the rest of the chives.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chives and puree in a blender. Season with pepper and salt.
Let the soup cool for 30 m to room temperature. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 3 h.
Garnish the soup with the  chives and serve with sliced cereals bread.

Pure de calabacin (Spanish zucchini soup)

For ➍
3-4 medium zucchini, peeled & cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, cubed (small)
3-4 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
5 tbs olive oil
2 eggs
2 tbs grated Parmigiano cheese
50 cl beef or chicken (or vegetable) broth
salt

Heat olive oil in a 30 cm frying pan on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, then turns golden in color. Add the carrot cubes and half the parsley, and stir, continuing to cook in pan. Add the zucchini and continue to sauté for 3-4 m.

Pour the broth over the vegetables and simmer for about 5 m, or until the zucchini is cooked. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 m. Beat the eggs.

Process the vegetable mixture with a food processor or stick blender until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pan, with heat on low, and slowly stir in the beaten eggs. Salt to taste.

When serving, sprinkle the rest of the chopped parsley and grated cheese.
*variations:
potatoes: peel and cut two potatoes into small squares. Place in a medium sauce pan, just cover with water and boil until just cooked. Drain and process potatoes with other vegetables.
garlic: peel and finely chop 2 garlic cloves, and saute with the other vegetables.
quesitos: add 4 small quesitos (little cheeses) to the mixture in the food processor. Be sure that they are at room temperature. In Spain, quesitos refers to the soft bland cheeses that come in individual servings, such as Vache qui rit or Babybel brands.
Serrano ham & croutons: cut Serrano ham (use prosciutto if Serrano ham is not available) into small bits, and sprinkle on top of each serving with some croutons.

Hollandse groentensoep (Dutch vegetable soup with fish balls)

For ➍
300 g fillets plaice
1 tbs green pesto
1 tbs cornstarch
30 g tomato croutons
1.5 l water
3 chicken stock tablets
150 g vermicelli
1 small cauliflower
350 g peasant soup vegetables (leek, celery, carrot, celery, cauliflower & peppers)

Cut the fish into pieces. Put the fish with the pesto in a food processor and grind finely. Put the fish with pesto in a bowl and mix the cornstarch and croutonmix through. Rotate it with wet hands soup balls.
Bring water and broth tablets to the boil. Add the vermicelli and cook 2 m.
Meanwhile Divide the cauliflower into small florets. Merge with fish balls and soup vegetables to the broth. Let 6 m. Simmer until the meatballs cooked and the vegetables are just tender.
Serve with hearty bread floor.

Iced tomato soup with melon balls

For ➍
2 melons
8 vine tomatoes
2 sprigs of basil
2 cloves of garlic
1 ts tomato paste
salt & freshly ground pepper

Cut the melon in half and remove all seeds and seeds.
Remove with a melon spoon the pulp and put the balls in a bowl. Chop the basil finely and add ½ to the melon. Stir and put at least 2 h in the refrigerator.
Peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into large pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with the flat side of a knife.
Mix the tomatoes with the garlic and the rest of the basil. Add the tomato paste and bring to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour this preparation into a deep dish. Put in another dish of ice cubes, put the dish with the soup on it and put everything in the refrigerator until just before serving.
Take melon balls from the refrigerator. Arrange the balls on a deep plate. Pour the chilled tomato soup over it. Serve immediately.

Summer pea soup

For ➍
250 g shelled peas (frozen)
150 g fennel, cut into small pieces, fronds apart
1 small onion, peeled & chopped
1 potato, cubed
50 cl (chicken) stock
1 tbs pastis
2 tbs sour cream
bunch of mint
freshly ground pepper
salt

Fry the onion and potato in a large soup pot. Add the peas and diced fennel.
Add the broth. Simmer for 15 m over medium heat.
Add the mint leaves. Process the soup with a mixer or robot until very fine. Rub the puree through a sieve.
Let the soup cool in the refrigerator.
Before serving, mix the pastis and sour cream into the soup. Garnish with fennel fronds.

Chilled pea soup with tarragon & radishes

For ➍
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
30 cl (chicken) stock
salt & freshly ground black pepper
600 g shelled peas [unfrozen]
5 cl crème fraiche
1 ts finely grated lemon zest
fresh tarragon
sliced radishes

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent without browning, 3-4 m. Add the broth, ½ ts salt and ½ ts black pepper and simmer 2 m. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
While the stock is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas and cook until peas are tender, 2 to 3 m. Drain and rinse under cold water or shock in ice water to prevent further cooking.
Combine the half of the cooled stock and peas in the bowl of a food processor. Process until very smooth. Add additional stock a little at a time and process to achieve desired consistency. (The soup should be a little thick and not too runny).
Transfer to a bowl, and taste for salt and pepper. Whisk the crème fraiche and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Gently stir into the peas, leaving light traces of the cream visible. 
Carefully divide among 4 serving bowls. Garnish with snipped or whole tarragon leaves and sliced radishes.

Witloofsoep (endives' soup]

For ➍
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek (white only)
15 endives, chopped (reserve some tips)
1.5 l chicken stock
2 laurel leaves
1 bunch thyme
salt & epper
100 g North Sea shrimps, peeled
50 g butter
20 g croutons
parsley, fried

Sauté the onion and the leek in butter. Add endives, stock, thyme and laurel.
Cook on low fire for 1 h.
Put some shrimps, croutons,endives' tips and parsley in each plate. Add hot soup.

Fennel soup

For ➏
2 ts fennel seeds
1 star anise or aniseed
50 g butter
1 kg fennel, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
1 small potato, finely sliced
2 tbs Pernod*
75 cl warm chicken stock**
10 cl double cream
salt & cayenne pepper

Place the fennel seeds and star anise in a muslin bag and tie it up to make a bouquet garni. Set a large pan over a medium heat, melt the butter and cook the sliced fennel, onion and potato with the bouquet garni, stirring constantly, for about 10 m, until slightly softened.
(Add the Pernod and bring to the boil for a couple of m to reduce it.)*  Add the warm stock to the vegetables, then simmer for 10 m. Remove the bouquet garni. Pass the soup through a blender or in a food processor. Return the soup to the pan, add the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.***
Serve with toast.

*Optional.
**This will result in a rather thick creamy soup. Add more for a more liquid soup. To make a velouté, e.g. to serve with lamb cuts, reduce quantity of liquids.
***Sprinkle some North Sea shrimps on the soup when served.

Pumpkin soup with ginger & chilli

For ➍
1 small pumpkin
1 large onion
1 large potato
3 tbs olive oil
1 l vegetable stock
½ small red chilli, chopped
3 cm fresh ginger, peeled
3 dl cream
salt & pepper
pumpkin seed oil
peanuts or dried pumpkin seeds

Peel the pumpkin and cut the flesh into chunks. Do the same with the onion and potato.
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Fry the vegetables. Add stock. Add chopped chilli and ginger and bring to a boil.
Simmer for about 1 h. Blend mooth. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
Serve in soup plates or bowls with a line pumpkin seed oil. Garnish with freshly shelled peanuts or dried pumpkin seeds.

Vlaamse kippensoep (Flemish chicken soup)

For ➏
3 chicken thighs
2 onions, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
3 carrots
2 leeks, chopped coarsely (keep 1 stem apart)
1 celery, chopped coarsely (keep a few stalks apart)
2 sprigs of thyme
3 bay leaves
5 crushed peppercorns
2 cloves
1 piece star anise
3 l water
50 g alphabet or vermicelli pasta or rice
200 g minced meat*
flour*

Clean the celery and leeks under running water.
Peel the carrots and cut ⅔ of them coarsely. Keep the rest aside.
Pour cold water into the soup pot. Add the vegetables along with the thyme and bay leaves . Bring the soup to a boil.
Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and put them in the pot, along with a pinch of salt .
Add the cloves and star anise.
Add the chicken thighs when the soup is boiling.
Let the soup simmer for 30-45 m.
Meanwhile cut the left carrots, leek and celery in brunoise , tiny cubes of approximately 2 x 2 mm.
Put the diced vegetables in a bowl.
Strain the chicken soup, to have a clear chicken broth. Let the thighs cool.
Sprinkle the brunoise vegetables in the chicken stock. Let the vegetables yarn briefly. Avoid overcooking.
Add the letter pasta. (Check the packaging for correct cooking time.)
Tear the meat  from the thighs. Cut into small pieces of equal size.
Add the chicken to the soup. Season the soup.
Serve with brown bread or toast.

*Optional.