I was in a cafe yesterday and had a takeaway pottle of vege soup that tasted just like nana used to make. So good it almost brought a tear to my eye! Buttery and yum with nice soft veges and bits of silver beet, a little pearl barley - it was so damn GOOD! I want to find a recipe that's not too tomatoey although happy to put a can in for a large potful to freeze. What's your fail safe recipe for a great brew for the chilly days that are coming?

mazzy1 - 2018-03-23 13:44:00

Look up Kirstens soup by Alison Holst, it only takes 20 minutes and is always good. I add finely chopped silverbeet as well.

articferrit - 2018-03-23 14:11:00

Boil up a hock of mutton, or a chicken with mixed pkt of barley, split peas etc (not all of it though) add grated carrot, and chopped onion, other veg of your choice....boil all up together till meat falls off the bone....taste for salt

rainrain1 - 2018-03-23 14:23:00

King's soup mix, a bacon hock and all the veges you have on hand. Simmer for 5 to 7 hours. beautiful.

fannyadam - 2018-03-23 15:32:00

fannyadam wrote:

King's soup mix, a bacon hock and all the veges you have on hand. Simmer for 5 to 7 hours. beautiful.

I agree, darn nice as well.

rainrain1 - 2018-03-23 16:16:00

fannyadam wrote:

King's soup mix, a bacon hock and all the veges you have on hand. Simmer for 5 to 7 hours. beautiful.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.....????????????the best soup ever

llessur.46 - 2018-03-23 16:28:00

I always used to use King's soup mix but now I usually tend towards a gluten free diet.... I've just sweated onions and garlic in a large pot with butter then added chopped fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary. Then added 4 grated carrots, chopped red cabbage, chopped pumpkin, salt and grated fresh tumeric followed by about half a cup of pearl barley. I rummaged in the freezer and found a ham hock bone so threw that in as well. It's been simmering for almost an hour now and I'll let it keep doing its thing for another hour. I've chopped a large bowl of silver beet to add later on. So far it smells AMAZING and looks dark and rich. Hope it tastes good!

Edited by mazzy1 at 4:40 pm, Fri 23 Mar

mazzy1 - 2018-03-23 16:38:00

Mazzy1 - do you know that barley contains gluten? It might be better to thicken the soup with something else e.g. lentils or split peas.

davidt4 - 2018-03-23 16:48:00

Kings do a Gluten free soup mix ,its in a blue pack and only vegetable ...its really nice

I get it from NW

Edited by llessur.46 at 6:12 pm, Fri 23 Mar

llessur.46 - 2018-03-23 18:11:00

davidt4 wrote:

Mazzy1 - do you know that barley contains gluten? It might be better to thicken the soup with something else e.g. lentils or split peas.

Yes I do davidt4 - I consider my diet to be gluten free-ish but sometimes can add some extra little things to make a difference to a dish. :-)

mazzy1 - 2018-03-23 18:20:00

I just tasted my soup and have to say it's one of the best ones ever!!!! YUM!!!

mazzy1 - 2018-03-23 18:21:00

Kings vege soup mix, 1ham hock or 2 shin on the bone, 1 each of the following.
Leek chopped
Carrot grated 2 if small
Potato grated
Parsnip grated
Turnip grated
2/3 celery stalks chopped.
Cook the ham hock and soup mix for 1 hr or more
Add veggies cook for 3/4 hr or more.

Edited by linette1 at 7:27 pm, Fri 23 Mar

linette1 - 2018-03-23 19:26:00

I have never used Kings Soup mix before. I have seen it in the supermarket. Do you need to use the whole pkt, or just a certain amount, if making a smaller soup. Many Thanks.

willman - 2018-03-24 07:56:00

willman wrote:

I have never used Kings Soup mix before. I have seen it in the supermarket. Do you need to use the whole pkt, or just a certain amount, if making a smaller soup. Many Thanks.

I use the whole packet,then freeze it in containers.It freezes really well.

llessur.46 - 2018-03-24 08:06:00

I roast the beef or chicken bones with onions for a great flavour for soup

ritebuy - 2018-03-24 12:11:00

llessur.46 wrote:

I use the whole packet,then freeze it in containers.It freezes really well.

And how much water, do you use, please. Thanks.

willman - 2018-03-24 20:02:00

It has the directions on the packet - 2 to 3 litres or 9 cups but use your own discretion as to how much . I make sure the ham hock and the soup mix is well covered, then when the veges are added, add more.
You can substitute the kings mix for stock and a cup of ordinary soup mix ie split peas and barley.

linette1 - 2018-03-25 16:04:00

do you have a crock pot?

rupps - 2018-04-05 16:33:00

Just bought a bacon hock today. I'm going to make the soup Mum used to make which -I suspect - is an Alison Holst recipe. The first time she made it she left it out to cool before adding the veges, and Dad tipped the "dirty water" down the drain.

He got such an ear bashing????

calista - 2018-04-10 17:59:00

Yum nearly soup weather

mutley83 - 2019-04-10 13:40:00

Is the Kings soup okay without the bacon or ham hocks? What can be used instead for a vegetarian?

kitty179 - 2019-04-10 17:36:00

kitty179 wrote:

Is the Kings soup okay without the bacon or ham hocks? What can be used instead for a vegetarian?

...yes you do not need meat. When I worked in the school canteen, I used to make up the Kings chicken and added other vegys. the kids loved it. Didnt have the means for meat...usually just onions, carrotts and peas.,but for home everything goes in.

korbo - 2019-04-11 20:45:00

I make thick vegie soups often in the pressure-cooker. Sometimes I begin with bacon-bones, nearly cover with water and cook about 15 mins. Strip and chop bacon back into the pot. I add loads of chopped-veg, fresh herbs, but no salt,-taste when it's done. I usually add loads of chopped swede, a veg I'd never eat otherwise but which adds a marvellous sweet undertone to a soup. Lots of barley, some split-peas or lentils, bring to a simmer, stirring, then cook under pressure about 30 mins. Each soup is different, depending on veg available.

schnauzer11 - 2019-04-13 12:04:00

Chelsea Winter's pea and ham soup is delicious and uses a ham hock, a whole head of celery, split peas, lentils, a leek and a couple of carrots. It's nourishing and you could adapt the recipe and use chicken or other meat.

catdog68 - 2019-04-14 19:09:00

Ray Mc Vinnie has a video on bite.co.nz for a quick, basic vegetable soup. Easier still using a soup maker.

kclu - 2019-04-15 17:22:00

So what is in Kings soup mix.... used it once years ago and seem to recall there is lentils and small amount of barley and what is the rest dehydrated vegetable and powdered food flavourings ?

karlymouse - 2019-04-16 09:34:00

I just use vegetables as many as you like and toast a little in the oven with oil, then boil with water or veg stock I have saved. Throw soaked dried lentils or peas etc, barley depending on what you like. You do not have to have use bones or meat. But if you do, like the others its good to brown the bones. Soup is wonderful for the winter. I add a dollop of butter towards the end , just to make a bit of creamy buttery flavour.

lazkaz - 2019-04-16 09:50:00

Yo can buy liquiid smoke in a bottle, a couple of drops and you get that ba con flavour much cheaper and no dead bodies in your soup. Great with split peas and the liquid smoke adds that ham flavour.

frances1266 - 2019-04-16 10:33:00

The member deleted this message.

frances1266 - 2019-04-16 10:33:00

frances1266 wrote:

Yo can buy liquiid smoke in a bottle, a couple of drops and you get that ba con flavour much cheaper and no dead bodies in your soup. Great with split peas and the liquid smoke adds that ham flavour.

I have seen that at Binn In...and know it was used in a hangi down South... but I wonder what the composition is to make this flavour...

karlymouse - 2019-04-16 11:59:00

frances1266 wrote:

Yo can buy liquiid smoke in a bottle, a couple of drops and you get that ba con flavour much cheaper and no dead bodies in your soup. Great with split peas and the liquid smoke adds that ham flavour.

A use a sprinkle of smoked paprika, gives a similar flavour and not too overpowering and adds a little colour too.

Edited by nauru at 1:26 pm, Tue 16 Apr

nauru - 2019-04-16 13:26:00

Good stock (either home made or packet. If it's home made, you can use any meat as another meal, removed from the bone and cooked up with fresh onions, carrots and other veges).Its still tasty in a pie, curry, or whatever. Or you can put the meat back in the soup after the veges etc., are cooked
To the stock, add plenty of small-chopped onions, carrots, celery, etc, and either Kings Soup Mix or the mix of barley, lentils, split peas, etc., sold as Soup Mix. Save the celery tops and a couple of carrots for adding to the soup later.
Cook until the legumes, pulses, grains, and veges are soft.
Grate the saved carrots and chop the celery tops finely, and add to the soup about 15 - 20 minutes before serving it. They give the soup a fresh flavour.. Check the seasoning and correct.
That's my recipe, such as it is. I aim to have enough veges, grains and pulses in the soup for it to be thickish and not at all watery.

punkinthefirst - 2019-04-16 16:08:00

I love the Kings Pea and ham, use a ham hock (prefer them to bacon, as less salt, smoother flavour), an extra cup of split peas, half homemade chicken stock, half water, and heaps of veges.

My other three favourite largely vege soups are pumpkin and walnut (briefly sauteed walnuts, roast or steamed pumpkin, with lots of nutmeg), roast vege soup - unskinned pumpkin, spuddlies, kumera, carrots and onions basically, but well caramelized by roasting before a slow cook, and caramelised onion soup....

autumnwinds - 2019-04-16 19:03:00

I don't follow a recipe when making soup. Just a guideline. Onions are a must. Diced and needs to be softened on medium heat with little oil or butter. You can add garlic but towards the end of onions being softened. I always add stock. Prefer chicken but a good store bought veggie stock also works. A potato or two makes the soup taste much nice, also helps thicken. Keep it simple and try not to add too many varieties of veggies. It confuses the flavour. You can add barley (little goes a long way) Lentils, small pasta. If you are pureeing the soup then leave these out. If soup is pureed then a little splash of cream or a tbs or two of sour cream gives it the creaminess that you want. Roast your veggies if you want to get maximum flavour. I prefer to do this with pumpkin or carrot. Herbs are nice as is bay leaf.

Edited by marcs at 4:16 am, Thu 18 Apr

marcs - 2019-04-18 04:14:00

Well, my old Mum used to say that soup is only as good as the stock its made from. Once you perfect that, soup is easy.
I use a crockpot, and chicken carcasses. I always pop my salt, pepper and dried or fresh herbs into a warm crockpot, pop in the carcasss, cover with boiling water, chopped onions, carrot, cellery, chives, parsley and leave for a day on high.
Then drain, pop the stock in the fridge overnight. Next day, strain all the fat out of it (should be a solid shell on top). At that point I either make the soup according to a recipe or one of my own, or freeze the stock in 1L containers.
Our fav at the moment is chicken noodle with lots of veges. 2L stock, chopped carrots, celery, lots of dried or fresh herbs. Cook for a few hours (in the crockpot) then add chopped cooked chicken and angle hair pasta (noodles). Very, very yummy with freshly made Turkish bread.

brightlights60 - 2019-04-23 13:17:00