Everyone loves a hot mug of steaming soup. It’s warming, filling, and nutritional.

‘At home there was always a pot of soup on the stove’ says Steven. ‘With a loaf of bread or a basket of rolls, it always amazed me how many friends and family could squeeze around the kitchen table!’

A basket of root veggies – pumpkin, butternut, carrots, parsnips, onions and garlic form the basis for hearty winter soups. The addition of a ham hock, pearl barley, lamb shanks and seafood extends the repertoire significantly. Steven is a big fan of seafood chowder with big chunky pieces of fish. He also admits he enjoys sitting down to dinner of chunky leek and potato soup.

Steven’s secret for making delicious, tasty soup is to just cook the veggies enough and no more. As he says otherwise all the good nutrients disappear and all the soups begin to taste the same. ‘To my mind soup should have its own distinctive taste’.

As he says soup is so versatile, and it’s a great way to use up veggies and can be whipped up quickly.

Steven shares two of his old time traditional favourites. The Thai Kumara Soup is quick and easy while the Lamb and Pearl Barley Broth takes a bit more planning and time. As he says a loaf of bread or a basket of buns straight from the oven and ‘you have a hearty, nutritional meal’.

THAI KUMERA SOUP

• 1Kg Orange Kumara (Peeled and Diced)
• 2 Red Chili Diced
• 4 Banana Shallots Diced
• 60g Root Ginger Diced
• 4 Cloves Of Garlic Diced
• 100g Shredded Coconut
• 100g Almond Slivers
• 400ml Vegetable of Chicken Stock
• Handful of Coriander (Separate the stalks from the leaves)
• 2Tbsp Coconut Sugar
• Salt and Pepper
• 3Tbsp Oil

METHOD

1. Place a pot on the heat with the oil. Begin to sautee the chilli, garlic, ginger and shallots. Once caramelised add the kumara and allow it to soak up the flavour in the pot and get a little colour.
2. After a few minutes add the coconut, almonds and coriander stalks and stir well. Season well with the coconut sugar, salt and pepper and cook for a further few minutes stirring every few seconds. Then cover with stock and cook on a medium heat until the kumara is soft but still holding its shape.
3. Remove from the heat and blitz in a food processor with the coriander leaves. To give the correct consistency you may not need all the stock for this. Return to the pot and check for seasoning and serve.
4. I like to garnish mine with a few toasted almonds and some chopped spring onions.

LAMB & PEARL BARLEY BROTH

• 2 Lamb Shanks
• 1 Onion Diced
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Sprigs of Rosemary
• 2 Red Onions Finely Diced
• 3 Cloves of Garlic Finely Diced
• 3 Sprigs of Thyme Chopped
• 1 Sprig of Rosemary Chopped
• 1 Large Carrot Peeled and Diced
• 1 Small Leek Diced
• 3 Sticks of Celery Diced
• 2/3 Cup Pearl Barley
• 500ml Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• Salt and Pepper
• 4Tbsp Oil

METHOD

1. In a hot pan with a little oil seal and colour the lamb shanks. Then add the first round of onions and garlic with the herbs and let them cook out. Cover with water and seal with tin foil or a tight fitting lid. Leave on a low heat to cook for around 2-3 hours or when the meat is falling off the bone. Once cooked remove from the stock and pick the meat from the bone removing any fat as you go.
2. Whilst the lamb is cooking, cook the pearl barley in a pot with the chicken or vegetable stock. This will take around 50 minutes on a low heat.
3. Once the first two stages are complete, begin to warm a pot with a little oil and add the garlic, onions and herbs and cook until they become translucent but no colour then add the leeks and cook for a few minutes. Then repeat with the carrots and celery and season well with salt and pepper. Pour the stock from the lamb shanks into the pot making sure you have discarded the onions and garlic in the stock. Cook on a medium heat or until the carrots begin to soften and then add the picked lamb meat and pearl barley mix well and check for seasoning and serve.