Solar Soups

SOUPS  

Solar ovens are the ideal way to cook soups – long and slowly.   Put it in the oven – and forget about it – it will not burn!

If the soup is required a while after the sun has gone down, remove the pot from the solar oven just as the sun is dipping too low to hit the oven, and place it in a hot box to keep warm.   If the soup contains poultry or meat, remove it from the oven whilst the temperature is above 120oC, place in the hotbox and then, preferably, bring the soup back to the boil for 10 minutes on the stove top prior to serving.

A real meal in a single pot!

List of Soup Recipes below:

Cream of Carrot soup

Gingered Chicken soup with Julienne Vegetables

Hanneport (grape) spiked carrot soup with Ginger and Orange

Hearty Chicken Soup

Matchstick soup 

Pureed Vegetable & Onion Soup

Root Vegetable & Ginger Soup

Sensational Turkey Soup

Split Pea and Potato Soup

Thai  Chicken Soup

WHolesome Slow Cooked Tomato Soup 

Cream of Carrot Soup

Serves 4

500gm unpeeled baby carrots – tailed (1lb)

250ml chicken stock (1 cup)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 lt milk (4 cups)

3 tablespoons Hannepoort Liqueur (dessert Grape Liqueur)

1 dash pepper

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 -1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

Place unpeeled, tailed carrots in the chicken stock and cook at 130°C (250°F) until tender – roughly 45 minutes – 1 hour.  Drain, reserving the stock, and puree (with a hand blender), strain or mash the carrots to make a smooth puree.

Heat the butter in a saucepan on your stove, add the flour, and stir until blended.   Add the milk gradually, stirring constantly. Add reserved stock, carrot puree, sugar, and pepper.  Heat to the boiling point, cover and place back in the hot solar oven for ½ - ¾ hour.

Garnish each serving with parsley and a dash of nutmeg.   Serve with warmed, crunchy 3 seed rolls.

Gingered Chicken Soup With Julienne Vegetables

Serves 4 - 6

1 X 1.2kg free range chicken, halved and skin and visible fat removed (2lb 7oz)

1 onion – quartered and each ¼ studded with 2 cloves

3 X bay leaves

½ teaspoon whole peppercorns

Water to cover

1 - 2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 red onion – quartered and thinly sliced

2 – 3 cloves of garlic – finely chopped

2 tablespoons peeled fresh Ginger – grated

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into 25mm long julienne strips (matchstick size)

1 large potato peeled and cut into 25mm long julienne strips (matchstick size)

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 25mm long julienne strips (matchstick size)

2 ribs celery washed and cut into 25mm long julienne strips (matchstick size)

500ml chicken stock (2 cups)

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

½ cup frozen peas

1 - 2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger cut into thin 10mm long julienne strips

1 spring onion – thinly sliced

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the solar oven to 130°C (250°F)

Placed the skinned, halved chicken into a pot together with the quartered onion, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns adding just enough water to cover the chicken.  Cover and place in the solar oven for 1½ - 2 hours until tender.

Whilst the chicken is cooking peel, ¼ and slice the red onion and, placing your pan on the stove, cook in the olive oil together with the chopped garlic and grated ginger for 2 - 3 minutes until fragrant.

Remove chicken from the pot, remove flesh from the bones and shred using your fingers or a fork – then place shredded chicken flesh to one side.  Strain stock, discarding cooked onion, bay leaves and peppercorns.

In the same chicken pot place the onions, garlic and ginger, then add layers of the vegetables in the following order: potatoes, carrots, turnips and celery.  Cover with the strained chicken stock and 500ml water into which the 2 tsp of chicken stock powder has been dissolved and 1 tsp mixed herbs.  Place back in the solar cooker for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Then add the shredded chicken, thin strips of ginger and defrosted peas.  Taste for seasoning.  Place back in the hot solar oven for ½ hour.

To serve, place the required amount of shredded chicken and vegetables in the centre of a bowl – spoon liquid round the mound and garnish with thinly sliced julienne ginger and spring onion.

Hannepoort Liqueur Spiked Carrot Soup with Ginger & Orange

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter

500gm unpeeled baby carrots – tailed (1 lb)

1 onion – peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

750ml chicken stock (3 cups)

125ml freshly squeezed orange juice (½ cup)

3 Tablespoon Hanepoot Liqueur (dessert Grape Liqueur)

2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

125ml sour cream for garnish (½ cup)

4 extra tarragon sprigs for garnish

In a large heavy pot on your stove, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and fresh ginger.  Sauté until the onion is soft.

Add the chicken stock and garlic and bring to a boil.  Cover and place in the solar oven which has been preheated to 130°C (250°F) until the carrots are just tender, approx. 45 – 60 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven, and using a hand-held blender, purée the soup until very smooth.

Return the soup pot to the stove and, over low heat, stir in the orange juice, Hanepoot liqueur and chopped tarragon.   Simmer for five minutes to let the flavours develop.

Garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprig of fresh tarragon.  Serve with warm, crunchy 3 seed rolls.

 

Hearty Chicken Soup

Serves 4

1 X 1.2kg free range chicken, halved and skin and visible fat removed (2 ½ lb)

1 onion – peeled and quartered and each ¼ studded with a clove

3 bay leaves

½ tsp coarse peppercorns

1½lts boiling water (6 cups)

1 large onion

2 X fresh turnips, carrots, celery ribs and parsley from the garden (or 1 X soup vegetable pack from the store) - peeled and diced

2 large tomatoes - rinsed

2 large potatoes

1 teaspoon chicken stock powder or 1 chicken stock cube

Liquid stock from boiled chicken

1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes or 1 X teaspoon chopped fresh garlic

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

½ cup frozen peas - defrosted

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Cream beaten untill thick

Preheat the solar oven to 130°C (250°F)

Placed the skinned halved chicken in a pot with the quartered onion, bay leaves and peppercorns and enough boiling water to cover the chicken.  Cook for 1 – ½ hours in the solar oven until tender.

Whilst the chicken is cooking peel and chop the 2^nd onion and brown in a little oil.

Remove chicken from the pot, remove flesh from the bones and place chicken flesh to one side.  Strain the stock, discarding cooked onion, bay leaves and peppercorns.

Peel the turnips, carrots and potatoes, and dice together with the rinsed tomato.  Slice celery thinly.  Add the prepared vegetables to the browned onions together with the chicken stock, 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder and 1 teaspoon mixed herbs.  Place back in the solar oven and cook for 1 hour until vegetables are tender.

Whilst the vegetables are cooking, using a fork, or your fingers, shred the chicken meat.  Chop the parsley finely.  Add the shredded chicken to the cooked vegetables and briefly bring back to the boil on the stove top.  Switch off and add ½ cup defrosted baby peas. Cover.  (This is just to warm through the peas whilst retaining their crunch and green-ness.)

Set aside whilst you beat the cream until thick and then, using two dessert spoons, form a quenelle.  Serve the soup in heated individual bowls, garnishing the soup with a cream quenelle and chopped parsley, and serve with fresh crunchy warmed rolls.

Matchstick Soup

Serves 4 - 6

1 – 2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 – 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
1 X 350 - 400gm Jewel (orange flesh) sweet potato (12 – 14 oz)

400gm vegetables cut into Julienne strips (e.g. carrots, spinach, beans, mange tout, baby corn) (14 oz)

500 ml vegetable stock (2 cups)

4cms fresh ginger – peeled, halved and sliced into very thin matchsticks (1 “)

500 ml low fat milk (2 cups)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Crème Fraiche

Rocket – roughly torn

Heat the oil in a saucepan on the stove and add the onion and brown sugar.  Cook until the onion is caramelized.  Add the chopped garlic and half the sliced ginger.  Cook for 1 minute.

Remove the spinach from the julienne vegetables – chop thinly and set aside.

Peel and slice the sweet potato into matchsticks.  Add to the pot with the julienne vegetables and the 500ml of vegetable stock.  Cover and place in the solar oven preheated to 130°C (250°F) until the vegetables are cooked (but not mushy) – about 1 ½ hours.  Add the chopped spinach.  Stir well and then add the 500ml low fat milk and the remaining ginger.

Check for seasoning.  Cover and replace the pot in the solar oven for ¾ - 1 hour.

Serve the soup in heated individual bowls and garnish with a teaspoon quenelle of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of freshly torn rocket.  Serve with warmed cheese rolls.

Pureed Vegetable & Onion  Soup

Serves 4 – 6

2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 5ml thick slices

3 cups water

1.5 Kg Roma tomatoes (3 lb)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

60ml Olive oil (4 Tbs)

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ tsp salt

1 red onion, chopped

3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

2 - 3 Tbs brown sugar

6 cups of hot chicken or vegetable stock

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 – 2 Tbs chopped fresh basil

Creme fraiche

Pre-heat solar oven to 130°C (250°F).

Peel and slice the potatoes and place in an oiled oven proof casserole dish – drizzle with half of the olive oil and 75ml water.  Wash and thickly slice the tomatoes – layer on top of the potatoes.  Sprinkle with the salt and dried basil and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil.  Cover and cook the potatoes and tomatoes for 60 - 90 minutes in the solar oven.

Peel and slice the onion and fry in a little oil until tender – peel and chop the garlic cloves and add to the onions.  Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar – stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat.

Remove the tomato skin.  Puree the tomatoes and potatoes together with 150ml (¼ pint) of stock.

Add the tomato/ potato puree to the onion mixture, together with the balance of the stock.  Place the pot back in the solar oven until the soup is bubbling again - stirring now and then.  Taste for seasoning.

Serve in individual bowls and garnish with a tablespoon of Creme Fraiche and some sprinkled chopped fresh basil and warmed crunchy cheese rolls.

Root Vegetable & Ginger Soup

1 onion – peeled and chopped

½ a leek -  chopped

Mixture of available winter vegetables (eg. carrot, swede, turnip, sweet potato, parsnip, potatoes) chopped

1 large tomato, chopped or ½  tin chopped tomatoes

2.5cms fresh ginger, chopped or grated (1”)

1 ½ litres water (2 pints)

1 - 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubeS

Half a cup of red split lentils

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of dried thyme or parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh herbs if available)

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

1 tablespoon natural yoghurt (if desired)

Heat oil in a large dark saucepan oln the stove, add the chopped onions and leek and cook gently until softened.

Then add chopped mixed vegetables, ginger and chopped tomato. Cover and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add water, stock cube, herbs, lentils.  Stir thoroughly.  Add Worcestershire sauce to taste.

Cover and place in the solar oven preheated to 130°C.  Cook for 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours until soft.

When cooked, blend soup and add salt and pepper to taste.  If desired, drizzle some natural yoghurt on top of soup before serving.

Sensational Turkey Soup

Serves 4 – 6

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

30 ml Olive oil (2 tablespoons)

2 x Turkey legs – skin removed

2 medium / large turnips – peeled and diced

2 large potatoes – peeled and diced

2 large carrots – peeled and diced

1 rib of celery including leaves – washed and thinly sliced

1 cup of frozen sweet corn

1.5 ltrs of chicken stock (6 cups)

1 teaspoon garlic flakes

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup defrosted petite pois

80 – 100ml honey (3 – 3 ½ oz)

100ml cream (just under ½ cup)

On a conventional stove fry onion in oil until brown.

Remove the skin of the turkey legs and place in a pot.  On top of the turkey legs place the browned onion, turnips, potatoes, carrots, celery and frozen sweetcorn. 

Add chicken stock cubes, garlic flakes and dried mixed herbs.  Pour in 1.5ltrs (6 cups) boiling water.  Cover and cook in the solar oven pre-heated to 130°C (250°F) for 2½ - 3 hours. 

Remove the turkey legs from the pot and debone.  Discard the bones.  Slice / chop the turkey meat and add to the pot.  Add salt and pepper as required.

Add petite pois and honey, stir and cover for 5 minutes.  Just prior to serving swirl the cream into the soup.  Serve with warmed crunchy sesame or poppy seed rolls.

Split Pea and Potato Soup

1 cup dried split peas

1lt water (1¾ pt)

1 bouillon cube (chicken, beef, vegetable, etc.) or 1 teaspoon bouillon broth powder

½ cup potato pieces – peeled and diced

2 – 3 large-ish carrots – peeled and cubed

Salt & pepper

Fresh cream

Rinse and place the peas, potatoes, and bouillon in 2lt (32 oz) black pot. 

Fill the pot with the water.

Cover  and cook for 2½  - 3½ hours at 150°C (300°F) depending on weather conditions, solar cooker type, etc.

Note that the texture of the soup will vary with the cooking time. Thoroughly cooked pea soup will have almost no pea chunks in it – they will all dissolve!   Watch the soup carefully after the first 1.5 hours if you like your soup with a few remaining split peas.

Season to taste and swirl a tablespoon of fresh cream on top.

Thai Chicken Soup

Serves 4

70gms jasmine rice (2 ½ oz)

1 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
1 X sachet Thai Green Curry Paste (1½ tablespoons)

400gms skinless chicken breast – sliced into three pieces lengthways (14 oz)

750ml chicken stock (3 cups)

1 tin coconut milk

250gm butternut, cut into small cubes (8 oz)

1 cup of vegetables of your choice: e.g.

½ cup defrosted frozen corn

½ cup defrosted sliced green beans

Boil water in the kettle and add to a saucepan containing the jasmine rice.  Cover and place in the solar cooker until the rice is cooked – 1 hour.  Drain, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on the stove and add the onion. Sweat for 5 – 8 minutes until the onion is soft.  Add the contents of the curry paste sachet.  Stir for 30 seconds.

Slice the chicken breast strips into 1cm pieces and add to the pan and fry for 4 – 5 minutes.  Add the chicken stock.

Add the butternut cubes, defrosted corn and beans.  Stir to mix.  Cover and place in the solar oven preheated to 150°C (300°F) and cook for 1 – ½ hours.

Add the coconut milk.  Return the pot to the solar oven and cook for another ½ - ¾ hours.

Serve with warmed crispy rolls.

Notes: I love the taste of coconut milk so I don’t allow it to cook for too long.  The butternut, corn and beans add colour to this tasty dish.  You may substitute any frozen or fresh vegetables that you prefer as long as they are all roughly cut to the same size.  A perfect filling meal for a chilly winter’s night.

Wholesome Slow-Cooked Tomato Soup

Serves 4 – 6

2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 5mm (2”) thick slices

125 ml water (½ cup)

1.5 Kg Roma tomatoes (3 lb)

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

60ml (2 tablespoons) Olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

1 red onion, chopped

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 - 3 tablespoons brown sugar

1.5 ltrs chicken or vegetable stock (6 cups)

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 – 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Creme fraiche

Preheat the solar oven to 130°C (250°F)

Peel and slice the potatoes and place in an oiled oven proof casserole dish – drizzle with half of the olive oil and 75ml water.  Wash and thickly slice the tomatoes – layer on top of the potatoes.  Scatter garlic cloves in the dish.  Sprinkle with the salt and dried basil and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Cover and cook the potatoes and tomatoes for 50 – 60 minutes in the solar oven.

Peel and slice the onion and fry on the stove in a little oil until tender – squeeze the pulp out of the garlic cloves and add to the onions.  Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar – stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat.

Remove the tomato skin.  Puree the tomatoes and potatoes together with 150ml of stock.  Add the tomato/ potato puree to the onion mixture together with the balance of the stock.  Cover and place back in the solar oven for ¾ - 1hour until bubbling.

Taste for seasoning.  Serve in individual bowls and garnish with a tablespoon of Creme Fraiche and some sprinkled chopped fresh basil and warmed crunchy cheese rolls.