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Recipe: Vegan zucchini soup with corn and coriander
Another soup for me to use up one of my least favourite vegetables: zucchini. This time I came up with a vegan zucchini soup with corn and coriander based on the flavour of Peruvian green tamales. As with my zucchini and leek soup, this one is vegan (therefore automatically dairy-free), gluten-free and low in calories. It is also low in protein so I recommend adding some protein or eating it as a side dish.
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Recipe: Vegan zucchini and leek soup
I have a confession to make: I don’t like zucchini. I can eat it, but it’s not my favourite vegetable. I find it has to be either roasted or sautéed in olive oil for me to like it. This vegan zucchini and leek soup has enough flavour to make me actually want to eat zucchini all day long. This soup is vegan (therefore automatically dairy-free), gluten-free and low in calories. It is also low in protein so I recommend adding some protein or eating it as a side dish. If you’re not vegan, feel free to add some grated hard cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino for added flavour.
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Recipe: Spiced roasted pumpkin and zucchini soup
Pumpkin is one of my favourite ingredients for soup because it’s versatile, cheap and easy to work with. This spiced roasted pumpkin and zucchini soup is a perfect example of a simple and economical dinner you can make on a weeknight. This soup is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan if you use dairy-free yoghurt and vegetable stock. Add a source of protein (e.g. boiled eggs, lentils or chickpeas) to round off the meal.
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Recipe: Menestrón (Peruvian minestrone)
Menestrón is the Peruvian version of minestrone soup, brought to the country by Italian migrants. What makes this soup Peruvian is the addition of native ingredients, such as potato and cassava. This is a pesto-based version of minestrone (as opposed to tomato-based). In addition to the traditional basil and Parmesan, this pesto features spinach and feta cheese . There are no rules as to which beans and legumes are included in menestrón. However, butter beans and broad beans are very common ingredients. As for the pasta, tradition calls for penne. I recommend using San Remo pulse pasta for a gluten-free, high protein, high fibre alternative.
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Recipe: Pumpkin, ginger & lemongrass soup
I love soup and pumpkin soup has been among my favourites forever. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Its sweetness, accentuated by roasting it instead of just boiling it, pairs well with the zing of ginger, lemongrass and lime juice. This recipe is gluten-free and can be made vegan/vegetarian by using vegetable broth and omitting the fish sauce. It’s low in fat (if you don’t add the optional coconut milk) and protein. You can add some cooked chicken or boiled eggs to bump up the protein content.
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Recipe: Sudado de pescado (Peruvian steamed fish)
Sudado de pescado can be considered a soup or a stew. I guess it depends on how you serve it: with boiled cassava or with boiled cassava and rice. The verb sudar means “to sweat”… in this context, it means the fish is steamed on top of a bed of onions and tomatoes with a delicious broth. One of the broth ingredients is chicha de jora, a fermented beverage made from malted maize (corn), commonly used in Peruvian cuisine. It is also served as a drink in many towns in the highlands to children and adults, despite its alcoholic content. Back in the day, the fermentation was kickstarted by chewing…
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Recipe: Chupe de camarones (Peruvian prawn chowder)
Soup season is back! I would be hard-pressed to nominate my favourite soup, but chupe de camarones is definitely in the top 5. As it happens with most Peruvian dishes, it all starts with onion, garlic and ají (chilli). Ají panca (dried red Peruvian chilli) paste can be found in certain ethnic markets or you can sub another red chilli paste. It also features Andean staples such as habas (broad beans), papas (potatoes) and choclo (corn). Rice is also an important ingredient, but you can sub cauliflower rice, quinoa, etc.
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Recipe: Fennel & apple soup with ham
This is a quick weekday recipe that combines two of my favourite things in winter: soup and fennel. Add one of my favourite things regardless of the season (i.e. pork, in the form of ham) and you have a rounded meal for 4. Fennel & apple soup with ham Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 large (or 4 small) fennel bulbs 1/2 onion 1/2 apple 2 tablespoons ghee or fat of choice 4 cups chicken or beef broth 1 1/2 teaspoon rosemary salt (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary + 1/2 teaspoon salt) 380g good quality ham, preferably not sliced Directions Slice fennel, onion and apple. Heat ghee in a pot, throw…
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Recipe: Smoked pork, mushroom, ginger & cabbage soup
This recipe is more a guide than an actual recipe. Yes, this is an excuse to be inaccurate with the quantities. The results will be great, give or take reasonable amounts of any ingredient. You can also use pre-made broth if you can find a good one. Smoked pork, mushroom, ginger & cabbage soup Yield: 6-8 servings Ingredients Broth about 1 kg smoked pork (bacon) bones enough water to cover the bones Soup about 3 litres smoked pork broth about 300 grams mixed mushrooms (I used oyster, shiitake and black) 5-cm piece ginger 1/4 savoy cabbage about 2 tbsp tamari To serve, optional boiled eggs * Directions Broth Place bones…
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Recipe: Menestrón
The Peruvians took the minestrone recipe, brought with the Italian migrants, and turned into it menestrón. The Peruvian version is heavier on the basil and almost never features tomatoes. It’s also big on the carbs, not only featuring beans (sometimes a few different kinds) but also pasta (often penne). I grew up loving my mum’s and aunty’s, and I crave it when it starts getting chilly in Sydney. I make my version with no beans nor pasta, and often use whatever veggies I have available. This time, for example, I couldn’t find turnip, so used radishes instead. Peruvian osso buco Yield: 4 servings Adapted from this recipe Ingredients 1 onion,…
