Broccoli and Cheese Soup. So Simple but So Delicious.

Ahhh soup. Probably the easiest thing you can possibly make, yet I rarely think to give it a go. And with the right seasoning, it's just so tasty. As my Grandad used to say, "cooking is just passing heat through food" and with this recipe, this saying really is true! I can't think where you could go wrong - bung everything in a pan, cook it, give it the odd stir and basically that's all there is to it. You don't even need a food processor, unless you want it to be perfectly smooth. But actually, I prefer it with a few chunks in and a bit of a bite. There's nothing more satisfying than tucking into a bowl full of heart-warming soup...and with the addition of a sprinkling of croutons from a French baguette, I don't think you could wish for a more perfect lunch. In fact, I think broccoli may just be my new favourite soup flavour, you know. The French seem to stick to onions when doing soup (which tastes pretty amazing, actually), so if you want a good chunky soup that hasn't been made by those who wear berets and stripy T-shirts when you're in France, then you'll have to make your own. I say this as if it's a chore. It definitely isn't. After making this you'll never want to buy soup from a tin again.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
2 Chopped Onions
2tbsp Butter
1 Medium Broccoli
500ml Vegetable Stock (I actually used chicken which gave an extra flavour!)
85g Cheddar Cheese (or any hard cheese would work fine - I used Emmental)
150ml Single Cream (I used half milk, half cream which makes it slightly healthier!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a pan gently fry the onions. 
2. Trim and chop the broccoli, add to the pan and heat for 2 minutes.
3. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Season to taste.
5. Stir in cheese and cream and heat gently.
6. Serve with a sprinkling of croutons and enjoy!

And it's ready in only six steps! That's got to be a record. So there really is no excuse for not making it. 

 

Easter Pie

If I had to choose my favourite English dinner, I think it'd probably be a pie of some kind. I just can't resist them. When I go out for a pub meal, you can guarantee that I'll choose a good, hearty pie. I'm not fussy about what's in it (as long as it's not offal preferably - I mean, I like meat, but not that much), providing it's hot and tasty and not too stodgy. Well seeing as Abbey and I were both pining for family time and some traditional English food to go with it (even we get sick of French food occasionally!), we decided to try out a pie recipe from one of Abbey's recipe books, 'Easy Comfort Food' and made the most delicious chicken, lardon and veg pie that you could imagine. And it was just what we fancied after a cycle around the Parc de la Tête d'Or on a blustery Easter afternoon. I'm not sure whether I've made a pie before actually, so for a first attempt I was pretty impressed! I even made the pastry myself. Except that's where it went a bit wrong actually! Normally I'm quite good at pastry-making, but I was slightly disappointed with myself this time. I didn't do quite enough to cover the top, so I had to be a bit inventive when covering it. Of course, I completely intended to put crosses across the top to fit with the Easter theme...

  

The filling made up for the pastry though (although it didn't taste horrendous, it's just that its appearance left a lot to be desired for!). Perhaps a little on the salty side (the lardons were probably the reason for this), but extremely tasty and it definitely fits into the comfort food category. Fairly easy to make too, if you've made pastry before and certainly worth giving a try. A lovely, satisfying dinner that made us feel just that little bit closer to home! I also had the luxury of using an efficient oven that you DON'T have to light with a match to switch it on...it's the small things in life!

I've given you the quantities below for pastry that WILL cover the top of your pie from the trusty BeRo website (I live by their little recipe book - so worth buying)! So it won't look as messy as mine...

Chicken, Lardon and Veg Pie   serves 3-4 (depending on how hungry you are!)

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

225g Plain Flour

Pinch Salt

100g Margerine (N.B. using half lard, half margerine will make a tastier pastry)

2 tbsp Cold Water

For the filling:

200g Chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks

100g Lardons

1 Onion, chopped

Whatever veg you fancy adding!
3 tbsp Plain Flour
250ml Chicken Stock
125ml Single Cream
1tsp Parsely
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
3. Rub in the fat. 
4. Using a knife to cut and stir, add the cold water and combine to make a stiff dough.
5. Leave to rest in the fridge before using whilst making the filling.
6. For the filling, stir fry the chicken in a large pan until cooked through.
7. Add the lardons, followed by the onion and continue cooking until golden brown.
8. Add the flour and stir until it coats everything in the pan.
9. Add the chicken stock and cream and mix well.
10. Put the veg in as well then leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Season well and add the herbs and seasoning, then put the mixture into a large ovenproof dish.
12. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface so it is about 0.5cm thick.
13. Cover the filling with the pastry and trim off  any excess.
14. Press down firmly at the edges and press down with a fork.
15. Cut a vent in the middle of about 3cm.
16. Cover with an egg wash and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
17. Remove from the oven, serve with your choice of veg and mash if you're feeling really hungry and enjoy!