Notes about Recipes in this book

• Savoy cabbage and turnip [soup]

  • knityourownyoghurt on October 28, 2016

    Recipe says +1 hour soaking time but there is nothing to be soaked. I also assume you will need more than 260ml of stock for four servings.

• Carrot and cumin [soup]

  • sharifah on June 19, 2020

    Very simple and quick to make carrot soup. And very nice too. I used plant based spread and soya milk to make it vegan.

  • FJT on February 08, 2021

    Easy, tasty soup!

• Moroccan chickpea and spinach [soup]

  • boncie on October 31, 2022

    I made this and would use less cinnamon and more lemon juice. Added a splash of balsamic vinegar to finish. Was very nice!

• Butternut squash and pancetta [soup]

  • Ro_ on November 09, 2022

    This was nice but nothing that special. I used rosemary leaves instead of sage. Overall I prefer my squash soups with more Asian flavours I think.

• Carrot and ginger [soup]

  • Ro_ on April 01, 2021

    I made this as a low-calorie meal to eat on a fast day. It was a nice enough soup, but the quantity was nowhere near enough for four people (it actually gave 2 distinctly medium sized portions as opposed to the promised 4) and I found it needed more liquid to thin it out a bit. I did like the ginger a lot, but generally I probably wouldn't make again.

• Chestnut mushroom and parsley [soup]

  • FJT on November 26, 2020

    Nice soup. Added a handful of dried mushrooms to the vegetable stock but otherwise followed the recipe.

• Spiced carrot and lentil [soup]

  • PennyBarr on January 21, 2018

    Makes a lovely soup without need for coconut milk or cream. I added a little chopped fresh green chilli at the onion stage. I find all key timings need to be adjusted. First stage of simmering is at least 30’, not 20. Second stage likewise - after 20’ diced carrots and lentils still uncooked. Secondly - the second stage of simmering just doesn’t work - there isn’t enough liquid left in the recipe to cook the lentils and carrots properly. Ended up liquidising the whole lot a second time - which made a lovely soup, if quite different from the original description!

  • K_Simpz on January 26, 2022

    I feel this needs some spice, particularly as the carrots and coconut are so sweet. As PennyBarr suggested, I'd add a chopped chilli if making again. I added a lot more water than the recipe suggested (this seems to be a common theme for this book). At least an extra 800ml in a double batch, and the consistency is very nice now.

• Creamy chicken [soup]

  • FJT on November 01, 2020

    Really nice and a great way to use up left-overs from a roast chicken.

• Smoked haddock chowder

  • FJT on March 23, 2021

    We really enjoyed this. Smoked haddock is something we miss from home, so we make the most of it when we can get it.

• Broccoli and Stilton [soup]

  • Ro_ on September 25, 2021

    Very nice and indulgent soup. I used roquefort. My brocolli was getting a bit old so the soup didn't have a very green colour, but it was delicious nonetheless, my partner especially loved it.

• Spring greens [soup]

  • K_Simpz on February 10, 2022

    Leek and tattie with added greens. Nice but nothing spectacular. A good way to use up Spring greens, which I never know what to do with!

• Spring vegetable and pesto [soup]

  • Ro_ on April 05, 2023

    All my vegetables were frozen except the leeks, so I didn't do the step of adding some of them in at the last minute after the blend: I added them all earlier and blended the whole thing before adding the pesto. This meant I did need to add quite a bit more water/stock than stated (but I find that is nearly always the case for recipes in this book). The finished soup was really nice: great texture and flavours, and a very pretty green colour. Would make again.

• Lentils, spinach and spring herbs [soup]

  • Ro_ on February 27, 2023

    I made a fairly serious error as I added my thyme in the form of a bouquet garni, then forgot to take it out before I whizzed the soup! So the little bits of woodiness and stringiness did marr the soup a bit, but the flavours were nice and this felt very healthful.

• Pea and ham [soup]

  • FJT on February 04, 2025

    This is the 2nd May soup in the book. I made my own stock with a smoked gammon roasting joint and veggies / herbs in my Instant Pot and then used the gammon as the ham. I didn't have spring onions, so fried off some regular onion. This was delicious!

• Courgette, feta and mint [soup]

  • Ro_ on June 15, 2023

    I enjoyed the simplicity and clean flavours of this soup. I blended with a stick blender, but actually I think a silkier, less coarse texture would have been nicer and I should have done it in the blender, and potentially added a bit more stock or cream. Could be nice chilled too.

• Petits pois and watercress [soup]

  • Ro_ on November 07, 2021

    Delicious, pretty and easy. I didn't cook the watercress, just added it at the blender stage. Would also be lovely with some feta or goat cheese.

• Thai green curry soup

  • Ro_ on February 11, 2023

    This was easy and delicious, like a curry in soup form. My partner really liked it too. Will make this again. You could also adapt the recipe and use a ready made curry paste.

• Broad bean and smoked chicken [soup]

  • FJT on July 03, 2023

    OK, but not great

• Spicy corn chowder

  • Ro_ on January 09, 2023

    Found this a bit underwhelming. It's a "nice enough" kind of dish for me, but it didn't pack a punch of flavour.

• Iced cucumber, yoghurt and mint [soup]

  • Ro_ on June 22, 2023

    This wasn't what I expected: having only glanced at the recipe ingredients before embarking, I assumed the cucumber would be blitzed and be the base of the soup. In fact, this is a tomato/cream/yoghurt base, with finely diced cucumber in it. The flavours were subtle but nice, really lifted by the tabasco. Nice on a hot day. I won't be rushing to make it again, but if I'm looking for a pretty, light lunch on a hot day, or a starter, this could be a good option.

• Red lentil, cumin and coriander [soup]

  • Ro_ on November 20, 2019

    Nice but not amazing soup. Uses entirely storecupboard ingredients which is a plus, and the chopped green chilli garnish gave a nice dimension, but I think it needed a bit of an acid/sour note to offset the earthiness of the lentils and spices. Maybe more tomato, a squeeze of lime or stirring in some natural yogurt. I didn't have fresh coriander to serve with it, which may have helped.

• Tomato, fennel and feta [soup]

  • FJT on June 16, 2022

    Very nice soup for a hot day. I made this, left it to cool down and we ate it at room temperature. Would make again

• Red lentil and chickpea dhal [soup]

  • PennyBarr on September 05, 2016

    No mention of chickpeas in either the recipe or the ingredients - but there is in the title.

• Simple parsnip and apple [soup]

  • FJT on February 12, 2025

    The best thing about this soup was its simplicity. It’s an ok soup, but unless i happen to have parsnips and a Bramley apple that both need using up at the same time, I’m unlikely to make it again. I didn’t add the milk as this would have made the soup very thin. There are better things to do with both of the main components.

• Apple, cider and honey roasted parsnip [soup]

  • Leo on October 15, 2022

    Roasting the parsnips adds depth to the flavour. I took it easy on the sweetness because I wanted to give the apples a chance to shine. I also did without cream for the same reason. Nice simple soup for autumn.

• Spicy sweet potato, butternut squash and chickpea [soup]

  • K_Simpz on January 19, 2022

    Possibly my favourite soup of all time. A spicy, comforting, stand your spoon up kind of soup.

• Swede, turnip and parsnip [soup]

  • Leo on March 31, 2026

    Decided to resurrect this one to use some stray root veg. Despite the uninspiring ingredients list it is delicious with or without cream. I usually add a potato. Its quick, warming and tasty. Its been a family staple for over 20 years.

• Celeriac, smoked bacon and English mustard [soup]

  • FJT on April 29, 2021

    This was much nicer before I blended it - I had to add a lot of water to get the right consistency as I didn't have any additional stock and this diluted the flavour. Wasn't excited by it at all and won't repeat.

• Parsnip, apple and chestnut [soup]

  • knittingfrog on December 13, 2016

    Used vacuum packed chestnuts instead of roasted... Delicious and very parsnip-y !