help me make a soup with my fridge contents, please

[melmo26]

I would like to attempt a soup to make for lunch tomorrow. Everytime iv made soup it is either really thick or very watery. I love soup ( so do the dc) I just wish I could MAKE a good tasting soup. So I have
8 tomatoes
2 red onions
1 white onion
1 red bell pepper
6 carrots
2 green chillies and some mushrooms

I would be greatful if anyone has any ideas.
Soup will be for me, dh and 4 dds. Age 6,5, 2 and 1.

TIA

[Slackgardener]

Looks like minestrone to me - do you have pasta?

[melmo26]

Hi thanks for answering. Yeah I have pasta spirals and spaghetti

[missisboot]

So you have decent stock? I think this is key to a good soup.

[missisboot]

Sorry do not so?

[NoSquirrels]

You need some red lentils - very cheap, if you haven't got any in.

Then use one onion - white or red, up to you - fry it off with a couple of the carrots cut into smallish pieces, the red pepper and the tomatoes. Add stock to cover, add a couple handfuls of lentils. Simmer, add more stock if needed to keep lentils covered but not too much - easier to add than take away. When the carrots and lentils are tender, blitz it smooth, check seasoning, add more stock to get it to the right consistency. Yum!

[NoSquirrels]

For 6 people probably up my onion estimate to 2 and chuck in extra carrots!

[melmo26]

Sorry meant to add that in my post, I don't know how to make stock. Iv tried searching for how to make a stock but have had no joy.
Usually iv mixed a chicken stock cube with boiling water!
Don't have lentils in, but could try the wee shop in the village

[missisboot]

Stock cubes don't really add much taste. A bouillon powder is prob better.

To make chicken stock from scratch you need a roast chicken carcass, cover with water and add some veggies - I'd go for a carrot, some celery and an onion abd a couple of bay leaves. Simmer with the lid on for about 30 mins and then strain. Make sure you don't pour the stock away :o

[NoSquirrels]

Honestly, stock cubes will do the job well enough!

Next time you have a roast chicken you can boil up the carcass and make some stock, but for tomorrow some stock cubes will do the business, really.

[coffetofunction]

I'd have gone for a "if it's" veg soup with chicken stock cube....chuck it all in a pan & boil....less the chillies & not all the onion...

[missisboot]

Yes - I didn't mean for you to be roasting a chicken tonight. It's just that the op asked about making a good tasting soup and I think it's the stock that's key to this.

[melmo26]

Well we do have roast chicken most Sundays, so sounds good. Do I pull all meat off first? How long can I store the stock for? Do I keep it in the fridge?

Tomorrow I think I will try throwing it in the pot. See how it goes. I will defo try making stock on Sun.

Thanks for all your advice. Will let you know how it goes

[missisboot]

Yes pull most of the meat off. You can use leftovers to add to a chicken noodle soup.

The stock should keep for approx 3 days in the fridge. I freeze mine in freezer bags as its easier to store.

[melmo26]

Thank you all for your replies. I have to say, the soup was, well...... Disgusting. There was no flavour, and tasted gross. We all love those fresh soups you can buyin the fridge isle. Why can't my homemade ones taste the same :(
I think I will need to buy a soup recipe book and follow it step by step.
Thanks all for your replies

[Slackgardener]

It's strange melmo because I won't eat the fresh soups from the supermarket because I think they taste awful - maybe it's just a taste thing.

Basic soups in this house - onion fry in butter and salt till soft but no colour about 10mins. Add a root veg, cook for couple of minutes then add marigold veg bouillon if I don't have chicken stock, cook for 20min, whizz smooth and add a dollop of cream.

[LBOCS]

I made a lovely soup last night. I fried off some Thai herbs and red chilli (out of a freezer pack), put a couple of potatoes and about 6 chopped up carrots in and just enough chicken stock to cover. Cooked it all up, blitzed with a hand blender, then put maybe a quarter of a can of coconut milk in it, with a dash of fish sauce (but only as I had it, I'd have used salt otherwise). It was yummy! I used the rest of the coconut milk to make a laksa for dinner - chopped chicken poached in stock with more Thai herbs, half a bag of stir fry veg, when chicken and veg is done throw in noodles and the 3/4 can coconut milk, heat slowly (coconut milk splits when boiled, I discovered last time I made this!) finish with salt and a squeeze of lime.

[LBOCS]

Jamie Oliver's 15 minute minestrone is also very easy and very nice.

[WhatAHooHa]

this is lovely and very simple

[melmo26]

Thanks for more tips, going shopping tomorrow so will be buying things for making soup

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

My chicken stock recipe/method

• Take all the useable meat off the roast chicken carcass, break it up a bit and place in a roasting tin
• Add 2 broken up carrots, a quartered onion, 2 broken up celery sticks, a star anise, some peppercorns, 3 garlic cloves in the skin and lightly squashed, plenty of salt and a little oil
• Roast all this for about 20-30 minutes until browned and smelling toasted
• Put everything into a large pot or pressure cooker, add some bay-leaves (or rosemary or parsley), just cover with water, bring to the boil and either simmer for 1 hour (regular) or 20 minutes under pressure.
• Strain off the stock and reserve.

Because this all takes some time it's worth freezing old carcases and making lots at once. I use 'pour and store' freezer bags.

[missisboot]

The shop ones are quite sweet. Perhaps that's what you're missing?

[BikeRunSki]

Chop it all up, but only half a chilli
Fry it a bit
Add some water
Couple of stock cubes
Add potatoes or lentils for thickness
Boil until everything is soft
Season
Blend

[melmo26]

Ok bought some herbs etc today to try and make another soup on Mon. I am going to make the stock on Sun evening, after our roast dinner.
Funily enough I have only just bought a pressure cooker.
May be back on Sunday wondering what went wrong :)