Cooking with Glo

From Recipe to Riches Winner Come the Recipes of a Life Time Spent in Kitchens

By Glo McNeill

MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Glo McNeill
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-927097-22-9

Contents

FOREWORD,
INTRODUCTION,
SOUPS & SALADS,
MAIN COURSES,
DESSERTS & SWEET THINGS,
BREAKFAST AND SNACKS,
BEVERAGES & SAUCES,
BREADS,
INDEX,

CHAPTER 1

Soups & Salads

ABOUT SOUP

There is an old European tale about a hungry stranger who arrives in a village where there is no food. He tells them “I can make soup out of a stone.” So they bring him a smooth stone, which he places in a kettle of water to boil. Then one villager volunteers an onion, another a carrot, a bone, etc., and soup is born.

Throughout winter, I always have a pot of soup on the stove; in fact, it’s called “The Resident Soup.” It changes daily, grows, advances, recedes, sometimes dies and is re-born. People have asked for the recipe, and I tell them that there isn’t one. It is a bit like Stone Soup but has clean-out-the-fridge undertones. The only basic rule is no meat or other animal bits in it because that would limit its life.

Start the night before, by soaking beans, split peas or lentils overnight, then bring them to the boil and add the other ingredients. I usually start with chopping up an onion or two, adding some garlic, a can or so of tomatoes, a bay leaf or two, some salt and maybe pepper or Cajun spice. Then I add anything that is in the pantry or fridge, such as, chopped celery stalks with leaves, turnip, parsnip, carrots, a can or two of beans.

To thicken it try orzo, couscous or rice, diced potato, bulgur, that ubiquitous textured vegetable protein TVP (which gives the texture of ground beef). Next add a little honey to sweeten, a dash or two of Worcestershire Sauce, and perhaps some small pasta, green beans, peas, corn and/or sweet peppers. The secret is in tasting it as it cooks and understanding how flavours should balance; the soup should not be too sour, too sweet, or too salty.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with chopped parsley, oregano, or other herbs; nor with chili powder, cumin or allspice. Instead of adding water to the vegetables, try vegetable or apple juice. You can add leftover cooked vegetables too, and don’t worry if they boil to bits.

Serve it with a separate bowl of grated Parmesan and some hot buttered toast or crunchy bread.

ALMOND SOUP WITH BRANDY WHIP

You only need to serve small bowls of this but it is worth every calorie. This is a wonderful old Victorian recipe.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups milk
2 cups water
½ cup ground almonds
½ cup slivered almonds
Salt and white pepper
½ tsp. mace
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. almond essence
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. brandy

METHOD

1. Melt butter, add slivered almonds and brown lightly.

2. Remove almonds.

3. Add water, ground almonds, and sugar and bring to a boil.

4. Mix cornstarch to a paste with a little milk and add, with rest of milk and almond essence, to pan.

5. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring until thickened.

6. Season with salt and white pepper.

7. Chill and taste again for seasoning.

8. Whip cream until stiff; whip in brandy and mace.

9. Divide soup among serving bowls.

10. Top each with a dollop of cream.

11. Top with reserved toasted almonds.