First Soup of the Season

There have been signs of late; clear blue skies, crisp mornings and cloudless winter nights. All the heralds of another winter season have begun to sing in a change in the weather. One of the best things about the cooling and shortening of the days is a big pot of soup to look forward to in the evening. I find this especially comforting after a nice long run and a warming shower, this soup chases away the rest of the chill and leaves plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. 

Sweet Paprika Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2tbsp olive oil

2 Brown Onions

3 Carrots

1 Large Red Capsicum

1/4 head of cabbage

2 Potatoes

2 Zucchini

1/2 cup red lentils

2 tsp Sweet paprika

2 x 400g cans tomato puree

2 Vegetable stock cubes

1 Litre of water

Method:

1. Finely chop the onion and dice the carrots, cabbage, potatoes, capsicum and zucchini
2. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, and add onion, carrot and capsicum and sprinkle over the paprika. Cook until vegetables are softened. Enjoy the fragrance of the paprika as it warms.
3. Add the remaining vegetables, water, vegetable stock and tomato puree.
4. Bring the soup to a boil and add the lentils.
5. Allow soup to simmer until lentils are cooked and potato is soft, about 20-30 minutes.
6. Spoon into bowls and serve with oat scones.

Serves 6-8. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days.

There is only one thing that can possibly elevate vegetable soup even more; scones. Here is the recipe for the oaty scones that I pulled out of the oven just in time to accompany the soup to the table.

Oat Scones

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup quick oats

6 tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

 1/2 - 2/3 cup light milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius  and line a baking sheet with baking paper
2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, oats, salt and pepper
3. Add butter and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
4. Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add 1/2 cup of milk, stir with a flat bladed knife, adding more milk as needed to create a soft dough.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle about 1 inch high
6. Cut rounds using a 1.5 inch diameter round cookie cutter and place on the lined baking sheet
7. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
8. Enjoy with your soup!

This soup is even better the next day. I warmed up the leftovers and added some steamed asparagus, peas, zucchini and some chopped sundried tomato. I stirred through some canned chickpeas as well and enjoyed round two of the soup even more than the first. 

So pull out the soup pot and enjoy some home made comfort as this winter season begins.