Here's the first idea … goulash

Traditionally goulash was served with rice or, spatzle (a soft egg noodle). I'm a retro kinda gal - in the 70s, it was with new potatoes and I still serve it that way – however the ultimate alternative addition is to serve with dumplings. Don't forget the sour cream - stirring in or even a blob on top – optional of course.

Hungarian Goulash

Serves 4-6 depending on size of appetite

900g braising steak, diced

glug of rapeseed oil to seal the beef

1 large onion, chopped as finely as possible

*8 tbsp tomato ketchup

*2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

*1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

*2 tsps salt

*2 tsps Hungarian sweet paprika

*½ tsp mustard powder

300ml water

2 beef stock pots

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water

small tub of sour cream - optional

Use a large frying pan and seal the steak in the rapeseed oil – in small batches – if you overfill the pan you will finish up with grey steak and it will “stew” - not nice! Set the batches aside in the slow cooker. Soften the onion for 2 minutes and then add to the steak.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the ingredients marked *.

Using the same frying pan – and therefore any residual juices, add the water and the stock pots, bring to the boil and stir until the pots have melted. Add the mixed ingredients * and pour over the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.

At the end of the cooking time, using a slotted spoon, remove the steak from the gravy. Mix the cornflour with water and stir into goulash and cook on high to thicken.

Add the steak back into the thickened gravy and you're good to go with the dumplings.

I know it's a giant recipe for a couple of portions but it's perfect for batch freezing – just think how virtuous you'll feel when you can pull a couple more out of the freezer.

I think it's perfect for a supper or dinner party in the winter – scrumptious!

Now for the second ..

Or you could have a posh version …

 

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into eight dumplings – six if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the soup and sprinkle 30g of grated parmesan cheese over the dumplings and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl.

These delicious morsels will take your soup to the next level. It turns a one pot dish into a “nothing else is required” version. They are probably the most under-rated addition to an ordinary meal - beyond scrumptious!

On that note, I'm thinking you might try a supper or dinner party main course to include dumplings?

Here are a couple of ideas ...

Anyone for dumplings!?

In my humble opinion dumplings are the food of the Gods – the ultimate accompaniment to any casserole, soup or stew.

Before we begin … a couple of tips

Here's the thing … traditionally dumplings are placed on top of a casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Casseroles have a thicker consistency than soup and obviously, usually, slow cooked in the oven. Soup simmers on the hob and a saucepan lid “sits” on top of the pan and is not what I'd describe as “tightly fitting”. Here's my tip - tear off a sheet of foil large enough to overlap the pan, push down slightly and then secure with the lid. Make sure your soup is simmering gently before you add the dumplings and seal with foil. 20 minutes later you'll have dumplings the size of which you wouldn't believe!

If you've any dumplings leftover for the next day here's a bonus – microwave them on high for 10/15 seconds – light as a feather – note to self – in future make enough dumplings for second helpings to microwave!

Dumplings made with suet have more texture to them. If you prefer light and fluffy then probably without suet would be better for you. If you've never sampled this delicacy then the only way is to make them both ways and decide for yourself.

Suet Dumplings

100g self raising flour

50g vegetable suet

pinch of salt

60ml of ice cold water

A generous pinch of dried mixed herbs - optional

Mix the flour, suet and salt with the water – you want to achieve a firm dough with some give.

Divide into eight and shape into balls.

Place on top of your casserole or soup, simmer for 20 minutes. Ensure that the casserole or saucepan has a tight fitting lid.

Dumplings sans suet

140g cold unsalted butter

250g self raising flour

salt and black pepper

150ml cold water

Generous pinch of mixed herbs – optional

Back to basics – rub the butter into the flour – aka the rubbing in method – until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the herbs and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the cold water and mix quickly to form a dough. Dust your hands with flour and divide the dough into twelve and form into balls.

Add to the top of your casserole, soup or stew and bake for 20 minutes, as above.

Fluffy and light – the ultimate winter warmer.

Or you could have a posh version …

The Chowder – bits and pieces

First and foremost traditional accompaniments to a chowder are Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, both should be served at the table.

What does seem to be a common thread, whoever the chowder belongs to, is that there is a connection to fishing and making use of what was plentiful from the villages along the French and Cornish coasts to America – a variation if you will of “clam chowder”.

Here's another idea - whilst cooking your Sunday roast, pop a tray of bacon into the oven – 180fan, 200c, Gas 6 - 15 minutes turn and repeat – so that it's crispy. Let the bacon cool on the tray and then break into tiny pieces, box and fridge.

Add a sprinkle of bacon bits on top of the chowder especially for the meat eaters – the bonus here is that you don't have to wreck a veggie soup or dish. The bits can be placed in a bowl and people can help themselves.

It looks like this :

If you'd like another “bacon” idea – fry diced chorizo until crispy then sprinkle with the released oil over the chowder.

Last but by no means least, whilst it isn't authentic I'd serve the chowder with dumplings - there are no rules.

The ultimate comfort blanket!

Anyone for dumplings?

The Sweetcorn Chowder

The Chowder originates from long journeys by ship – they used ingredients that would survive and the soup was thickened with hardtack. Hardtack we know as a “ships biscuit” - it was inexpensive and long lasting – perfect for long sea voyages. It arrived in North America from England and France. Probably the most famous version, certainly in the USA, is clam chowder but there are many variations. It is principally a soup with cream or milk, although you can use stock, adding potatoes, sweetcorn and other veggies or add fish and seafood if that's your bag. I suppose you have to like sweetcorn but, by its nature, it's quite popular with the kids.

Here's my version :

Sweetcorn Chowder

Serves 2 large or 4 smaller portions

300g/10½oz Charlotte potatoes, peeled and finely diced

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

90g/3½oz Two small red sweet baby peppers, finely diced

50g/2oz of unsalted butter

175g/6oz sweetcorn or two cobs, stripped

1 tbsp plain flour

2 pints of milk – I use semi-skimmed

(568ml or 1.2 litres)

celery salt and pepper – white or black

chopped flat leaf parsley to sprinkle

Sweat the carrot, onion and peppers gently in the butter for 10 minutes, covered. Add the flour and the celery salt and pepper of your choice. Add the milk gradually – I use a whisk - this will prevent lumps. Add the diced potato and sweetcorn and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the seasoning to suit. Check the thickness of the soup – if it's not thick enough, again to suit you, blend a ladle or two and add it back to enrich.

You don't have to use celery salt, you can use sea salt if you prefer. I love the extra oomph it gives – a fab flavour, especially in soups. I also mention a choice of white or black pepper – it's entirely a matter of choice, either is fine. If you're not fond of black flecks from black pepper then white is right!

Coming up … the Chowder bits and pieces

Something out of nothing … raw

This time the core ingredients for this soup are all raw – leeks, celery and onion.

The previous recipe produced a soup with texture - now I wanted to produce a smooth soup. Classically a Vichyssoise “style” fits the bill – a smooth, thick soup made with leeks, potatoes, cream and chicken stock. Most people think of Vichyssoise served cold and indeed it is usually – but it can be served hot too. A classic this is not - it's more a “thinking on your feet, variation on a theme” version.

Here's my recipe :

Soup de Ssoise

(i.e. not quite Vichy!!!)

Serves 4-6

One old potato, 2 leeks, remains of a bunch of celery

- approximately 4 sticks and one medium onion

One litre of stock + half a litre later, when thickening

as with the previous recipe I used 3 x Knorr chicken stock pots

Large pinch of Marjoram

Large pinch of Fines Herbes

Salt and black pepper.

Glug of rapeseed oil

Peel the potato, cut into cubes. Peel the leeks, celery and onion - chop finely.

Sweat the leeks, celery and onion in rapeseed oil with the herbs and salt and pepper until softened. Add the stock and the cubed potato and simmer until the vegetables are cooked – they should retain texture. Add the remaining stock.

Blend until smooth, taste, and adjust seasoning. Blend your soup in batches. To achieve a smooth consistency you may have to blend more than once. Test with a dessertspoon spoon. In each blended amount, dip the spoon into the soup, when removed the back of the spoon should be coated with a lump free liquid. Blend again to achieve the smooth consistency if necessary.

The finished soup should be thick and smooth.

Hints and tips :

If you have leftover cream – perfect – add a good slug!

Cooked or raw it's a great way to use up your veggies and/or bits of chicken if you have it.

News flash … you can now get “meat-free” chicken stock pots!

I hope I get a point or two, or at least a smile for the title of the soup.

Either way a result I think you'll agree!

Something out of nothing … cooked

Do you always finish up with leftover veggies – cooked or raw? Here are a couple of ideas for “something out of nothing”

Instead of throwing your leftover veggies away, keep the cooked peas, sweetcorn, carrot and broccoli and produce a “Soup of the Day”.

Here's my recipe :

Soup de Loop

(a catchy title I thought)

Serves 4-6

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 green chilli, chopped, seeds out

Rapeseed oil

1 old potato, cubed

1 litre of vegetable stock to begin + half a litre later, when thickening.

I used 3 x veggie Knorr Stock pots from my store cupboard

1 stock pot = 500ml of water

Medium curry powder – to taste – 1 dessertspoon used

Mace – to taste – 1 tsp used

Salt and black pepper

A box of leftover cooked veggies – peas sweetcorn,

carrot and broccoli

Dice the carrots and broccoli should be kept in small florets.

Sauté the onion, garlic & chilli in the oil, add the curry powder and mace. Add the stock and cubed potato and bring to the boil, simmer until the potato is cooked but firm. Add the remaining stock. When ready to serve 2 ladles of stock in blender until very smooth i.e. dip spoon in, look at the back of the spoon it will show the texture of the soup – it should be smooth. Add back to remaining stock, then add the cooked peas, sweetcorn, diced carrots and broccoli. As with all soups, leave the addition of salt until the end.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

You could use any leftover cooked veggies – it's not set in stone.

Even though I say so myself not a bad effort and an added bonus - a healthy, nutritious soup using leftovers – not too shabby!

Now for the raw leftovers …