Iced Pea Soup

OK, so this is soooooo late. I made it and took photos in January, but just never got around to posting it. A message from Tenina reminded me that I needed to get off my proverbial and get the blog active again.




Chilled Pea and Mint Soup.

Ingredients:

500 g peas (frozen are OK)
1000g good chicken (or vegetable) stock, in the form of frozen ice cubes
1/4 cup mint leaves

Method:

Depending on whether the peas are fresh or frozen the method varies only slightly.

If using fresh peas, place about 150g of the iced stock into the TM bowl and heat for 4 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Add the peas and cook for 8 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

If using frozen peas, place about 100g of the iced stock into the TM bowl and heat for 4 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Add the mint leaves and remaining cubes of frozen stock and blend for 2 minutes on speed 9.

That is all. Sorry that it took so long.

Thermomix Pizzoccheri Soup

Well, the first time that I remember seeing Pizzoccheri soup prepared was by Valerio Nucci, when he was at The Boulevard Restaurant in Studley Park road in Kew, Melbourne.

Nucci had been at Cafe di Stasio from its inception and has been in various restaurants and catering businesses, more recently the Grand Hotel in Richmond.

The buckwheat noodles can easily be sourced and it is a great winter soup.

Pizzoccheri Soup

Ingredients:

200g green cabbage
2 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
3 Tbsp olive oil
1000g vegetable or chicken stock
100g buckwheat (pizzoccheri) noodles or wholewheat spaghetti,
broken
300g Fontina, Jarlsberg or
Gruyere cheese, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste



Method:

Clean, trim and thinly slice the cabbage and place into the Varoma dish and tray.

Place garlic cloves into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on Speed 7. Add the onion and chop for 5 seconds on Speed 5. Add the potato cubes and oil and sauté for 7 minutes at 90°C on Reverse + Speed 1.

Place stock into TM bowl, place Varoma on top and cook for 10 minutes at 100°C on Reverse + Speed 1. Add the broken pasta pieces and cook for another 10 minutes at 100°C on Reverse + Speed 1.

Check to see how soft the cabbage is. It depends on how thickly you have cut the cabbage. If necessary, place the soup into a Thermoserver to keep warm while finishing the cabbage. You may need to add some water to the TM bowl and cook the cabbage for a bit longer on Varoma Temperature on Speed 1.

Once the cabbage has cooked, place into a serving bowl, sprinkle cheese over the cabbage and then top with the soup. Check for seasoning and serve.

Thermomix Cabbage Soup

This is a simple, budget buster style dish, but with Antonio Carluccio’s name attached it more likely to attract attention.

The recipe came from a book called Soup Kitchen by Annabel Buckingham & Thomasina Miers.




Zuppa di Cavolo Valtellinense
(Cabbage Soup, Valtellina Style – Antonio Carluccio)

Ingredients:

700g Savoy cabbage
200g Fontina, Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese
1000g vegetable or chicken stock
Chicken bones, (optional, if you have them)
for extra flavour
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 slices of day old bread, cut into cubes
50g butter


Method:

Clean, trim and slice the cabbage and place into the Varoma dish and tray.

Place stock into TM bowl and, if you have any chicken bones left over from somewhere, place these into the TM basket in the TM bowl.

Place the lid on and position the Varoma. Heat the stock and cook the cabbage for 20 - 30 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. It depends on how thickly you have cut the cabbage.

Once the cabbage has cooked, remove the Varoma and test the stock for seasoning. You can cook the stock for a little longer while preparing the bowl with the other ingredients.

Place some of the cabbage into a large bowl or individual bowls. Then place a layer of bread on top, then some cheese, cabbage, bread, cheese, until it is all finished. Gently press down on the ingredients. Pour the stock over the other ingredients and allow to blend while preparing the butter.

Remove any unused stock to a bowl and roughly clean the TM bowl. Place the butter into the TM bowl and cook for 2 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1. Pour the hot butter over the soup and serve.

Thermomix Cauliflower and Almond Soup

Well, another cauliflower soup - just for a change. One that uses the Thermomix to firstly grind the almonds to speed up cooking and then cooks the soup and finally blitzs it to a smooth velvety finish.






Cauliflower and Almond Soup

Ingredients:

few saffron threads
1/2 MC (50ml) water
100g almonds
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
500g cauliflower, cut into chunks
1000g stock, chicken or vegetable
freshly ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
100ml cream


Method:

Place saffron threads into the water and keep aside.

Place almonds into TM bowl and grind for 30 seconds on Speed 9. Remove and set aside.

Place onion into TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 5. Add oil and sauté for 4 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1.

Add cauliflower to TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 5.

Add stock, nutmeg, salt and pepper to TM bowl and cook for 15 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1. Add almonds and saffron in water to TM bowl and cook for 10 minutes at 90°C on Speed 2.

Make sure the MC is in place and slowly increase the Speed up to 9 for 30 seconds. Add the cream and blend for 20 seconds on Speed 4.

Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with more cream over the top.

Thermomix Pea and Ham Soup

A simple homely soup - made much easier by the fact the the Thermomix can blitz the split peas into a fine powder to speed up the cooking time. Then, once the soup has been cooked it can be blitzed again to make it very smooth and velvety.

Winter is a great time for a rustic, hearty soup and the Thermomix can help speed up the pleasure.

The basket is great to hold the pieces of hock so that it doesn't get mushed up with the blades.

The split peas can be soaked the night before and drained before blitzing, but may be made successfully with dried peas when the Thermomix can blitz them so finely.

Pea and Ham Soup

Ingredients:

150g split peas (green or yellow)
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 clove garlic
30g oil
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, cut into 2cm lengths
1200ml water
1 smoked ham hock, cut into pieces
that will fit into the TMX basket
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Parsley and olive oil to garnish

Method:

Place split peas into TM bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 9. Set aside.

Place garlic and onions into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. Add oil and sauté for 5 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Add carrots and celery, chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Add water to the bowl.

Place pieces of ham hock and bay leaves in basket and position basket in TM bowl.

Cook for 40 minutes at 90°C on speed soft with the MC out of lid.

Remove basket, discard bay leaves and allow meat to cool.

Add milled peas to the TM bowl and cook 15 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Meanwhile, remove meat from the hocks and roughly chop. Put the meat in a bowl and place the bowl into the Varoma. You can place the bones and skin back into the basket and into the TM bowl while the soup is still cooking to impart extra flavour. Position the Varoma on the TMX lid to keep the meat warm.

Test the soup to see if the peas are cooked sufficiently and adjust seasonings. Remove the basket, if you returned it to the TM bowl, and slowly turn the dial up to speed 9 and blend for about 40 seconds.

Serve the soup into bowls or tureen, add the pieces of ham and garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil.

Thermomix Asparagus and Crab Soup

This is a simple soup with flavours that remind me of Viet Nam. Simple, but so tasty, and it somehow makes me feel good when eating it.



Crab and Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

2 bunches fresh asparagus
2 cm piece of ginger
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp sugar, preferably palm sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 Tbsp water
200g crab meat, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method:

Peel the asparagus stalks (starting from just below the tip and going towards the base) and break off the hard part from the base of the stalks. Keep the woody sections and chop into 2cm sections. Wash the asparagus in cold water. Chop into pieces to go into the TMX basket. Preferably stand the pieces with the tips up if you wish to use them for garnish.




Place ginger in TMX bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down as needed.
Place the woody stems and stock into the TMX bowl with sugar, salt and fish sauce. Place the basket in the TMX and cook for 20 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Remove the basket with the asparagus and take out the pieces. Cool in iced water. Take the asparagus infused stock and strain, using the basket, into a bowl.

Place the asparagus pieces in the Varoma. Return the strained stock mixture to the TMX bowl with the cornflour mix, position Varoma and cook for 4 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Add the crab and reposition the Varoma on top and cook for 3 minutes at 90°C on reverse and speed soft. Remove the Varoma, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Set the TMX to reverse and speed 1 and drizzle in the beaten eggs.

Place asparagus sections in soup bowls or serving dish and pour soup over top. Garnish with coriander leaves or spring onions(shallots).

Thermomix Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup

This is a Thermomix adaptation of a recipe by Anthony Lui, part-owner and chef at Melbourne's famous Flower Drum restaurant.

The recipe appears in a book that was designed to provide better options for childrens' lunches. It was written by a Melbourne woman and also includes recipes by Philippe Mouchel of the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel. There are many simple recipes that are appealing also to adults, so you will get some of these served up in the coming months.

The recipe has some Chinese rice wine and sesame oil added. You may omit these and the results will still be good.

Sweet Corn Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

500g chicken breast, cut into 2cm chunks
2 tsp potato flour or cornflour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
1 litre chicken stock
1 can (420g) creamed corn
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp potato flour mixed with 2 tbsp water
1 beaten egg

Method:

Place chicken, flour, salt and water into TMX bowl. Hit Turbo 3 times to chop the chicken and mix the meat with marinade. You may need to chop it more, but don’t make mince out of it. Look after each pulse on the Turbo. Remove and keep aside.

Place the chicken stock in TMX bowl and heat for 5 minutes at 100°C on speed 1. Add marinated chicken and cook for 3 minutes at 90°C on reverse + speed 1.

Add creamed corn, sesame oil and salt and cook for 5 minutes at 90°C on reverse + speed 1. Once the blade is turning then pour in the thickening through the opening in the lid and continue cooking until mixture thickens.

Once thickened, slowly pour in the beaten egg through the lid and stir until there are soft strands through the soup. It only takes a few seconds. Stop the TMX and serve.

Thermomix Curried Parsnip Soup

Thermomix Asparagus and Crab Soup

Thermomix Asparagus Soup

This soup is based on a Gabriel Gate recipe from "French Cooking for Australians". It has been adapted for the Thermomix. It is good to be able to use the woody stalks, and even the peelings, to add flavour to the stock while steaming the main stalks and tips.

The Thermomix manages to puree the soup very well and the result is very smooth and creamy. It is delicious both hot and cold.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

4 bunches fresh asparagus
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley, chopped for garnish

Peel the asparagus stalks (starting from just below the tip and going towards the base) and break off the hard part from the base of the stalks.






Keep the woody sections and chop into 2cm sections. Wash the asparagus in cold water. Chop into pieces to go into the TMX basket. Preferably stand the pieces with the tips up if you wish to use them for garnish.

Place the woody stems and stock into the TMX bowl. Place the basket in the TMX and cook for 20 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Remove the basket with the asparagus and take out the pieces. Cool in iced water. Take the asparagus infused stock and strain, using the basket, into a bowl.

If you wish to use the tips for decoration, cut from the stalks and place in the Varoma. Place remaining asparagus stems into the TMX bowl. Purée for 40 seconds on speed 9, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the stock and cream, position the Varoma on top and cook for 3 minutes at 80°C on speed 1. Remove the Varoma, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

May be served hot or cold. Use asparagus tips to decorate as desired.

Thermomix Pea and Ham Soup

Pea and Ham Soup is one of my favourites for winter, sorry, the photos have been hibernating. Those in the northern hemisphere can try this out.

If you can get your butcher to cut the ham hock into slices about 2cm thick, then that would be best. Otherwise just do your best to break the hock into pieces that will fit into the Thermomix basket. The recipe in the Everyday Cooking for Everybody has a pea and ham recipe, but does not use the hock bone to give it that delicious smokey flavour. Please try out the idea of the hock in the basket - hopefully you will be inspired to try similar dishes.

Pea and Ham Soup

Ingredients:

150g split peas (green or yellow)
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 clove garlic
30g oil
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, cut into 2cm lengths
1200ml water
1 smoked ham hock, cut into pieces that will fit into the TMX basket
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Parsley and olive oil to garnish

Method:

Place split peas into TM bowl and mill for 1 minute on speed 9. Set aside.

Place garlic and onions into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7. Add oil and sauté for 5 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Add carrots and celery, chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Add water to the bowl.

Place pieces of ham hock and bay leaves in basket and position basket in TM bowl.

Cook for 40 minutes at 90°C on speed soft with the MC out of lid.

Remove basket, discard bay leaves and allow meat to cool.

Add milled peas to the TM bowl and cook 15 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Meanwhile, remove meat from the hocks and roughly chop. Put the meat in a bowl and place the bowl into the Varoma. You can place the bones and skin back into the basket and into the TM bowl while the soup is still cooking to impart extra flavour. Position the Varoma on the TMX lid to keep the meat warm.

Test the soup to see if the peas are cooked sufficiently and adjust seasonings. Remove the basket, if you returned it to the TM bowl, and slowly turn the dial up to speed 9 and blend for about 40 seconds.

Serve the soup into bowls or tureen, add the pieces of ham and garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle with olive oil.

Zucchini Cream with fillets of sole

Roughly translated/adapted from A Tutto Vapore

Zucchini Cream with fillets of sole


Ingredients:

300 g of fillets of sole
salt and pepper
1 shallot
400 grams of zucchini
1 bunch of fresh basil
40 grams of extra virgin olive oil
100 g of dry white wine
30 g of flour type 00 (bakers’ flour)
800 g of water
1 teaspoon vegetable stock concentrate
30g of parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons pesto
To serve:
Toast
extra virgin olive oil to serve

Preparation:

1. Line the container of Varoma with baking paper that has been moistened and squeezed of excess water. Lay cleaned fillets on paper, season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Put the shallot, zucchini and basil into the TM bowl, mince for 5 seconds on Speed 7.
3. Add the oil and sauté for 3 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2.
4. Add wine and cook for 3 minutes at 100°C on Speed 1.
5. Add flour, water and stock concentrate, position the Varoma with fish and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1. Remove the Varoma.
6. Add the parmesan, salt and pepper to the TM bowl, whip for 1 minute on Speed 7.
7. Pour the zucchini cream into a bowl, lay out over the fillets of sole and combine the pesto.
8. Serve with toasted bread and oil.


Originally posted here in the Thermomix Forum

Cream of cucumber soup with prawns on skewers

Adapted/roughly translated from A Tutto Vapore

Cream of cucumber soup with prawns on skewers

Ingredients:

24 prawn tails, shelled & deveined
40 g olive oil flavored with lemon
½ teaspoon salt, or more as needed
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cucumbers, seeds removed, cut into pieces (about 500 g)
500 g water
1 vegetable stock cube or TM veg concentrate.
1/4 teaspoon pepper
200 g cream
40 grams flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp dill, chopped

Preparation:

Marinade prawns for 15 minutes with 1 tablespoon of lemon-infused oil and salt. Thread prawns onto 6 wooden skewers and place them in the container of Varoma.

Place the onion and garlic in the TM bowl, chop for 3 seconds on Speed 5. Add 25 g of lemon-infused oil, cook for 2 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Add pieces of cucumber and chop for 4 seconds on Speed 5. Add water, stock cube (or TM stock concentrate), 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Position the Varoma and cook for 12 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.
Remove the Varoma and set aside.

Add the cream, flour and lemon juice to the TM bowl and mix for 15 seconds on Speed 9, then cook for 2 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2.

Add the dill to taste, stir for 3 seconds on Speed 3 and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the soup into six dishes, decorate with the skewers of prawns and serve hot.

Suggestion: Alternate the prawns with pieces of lemon. Instead of flour use 2 cooked potatoes to thicken soup. You can replace the lemon-flavoured oil with olive oil and a few drops of lemon. Only for adults, flavour soup with a drop of white wine.


Originally posted here at the Thermomix Forum

Cream of fish with seafood

Roughly translated/adapted from A Tutto Vapore

Cream of fish with seafood


Ingredients:

500 g mussels, well cleaned and debearded
500 g of fish fillets
300 g prawns,(shell, but reserve heads and shells)
saffron
30 g extra virgin olive oil
50 g brandy
200 g water

For the soffritto:
50 g extra virgin olive oil
200 g leeks, cut into pieces
1 clove garlic
100 g onions, cut in half
200 g tomato purée

To complete:
100 g cream
1 tsp salt
pinch pepper
basil leaves, to decorate

Preparation:

Put mussels and fish fillets in the container of Varoma and arrange the shelled prawns sprinkled with saffron in the tray Varoma. Keep aside.

Put oil in the TM bowl, heat for 3 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. Add the heads and shells of prawns and cook for 3 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 4. Add the brandy and let it evaporate a few seconds. Add water and cook for 5 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2. Filter with the basket and hold as prawn stock. Clean the TM bowl.

Put into the TM bowl all the ingredients for the "soffritto" and chop for 4 seconds on Speed 4, and cook for 5 minutes at 100°C on Speed 1. Add the prawn broth, position the Varoma and cook for 10 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

Once cooked, remove the Varoma and take the prawns and fish fillets out and place in the TM bowl. Remove the mussels from their shells and add to TM bowl. Chop for 30 seconds on Speed 7.

Add the cream, salt & pepper and cook for 2 minutes at 80°C on Speed 5. Add a little water if necessary. Chop for 30 seconds on Speed 7 until the soup is creamy.

Pour the soup into serving plates, decorate with some basil leaves and two or three prawns per serving.


Originally posted here at the Thermomix Forum

Chickpea with spinach soup

Roughly translated/adapted from A Tutto Vapore

Chickpea with spinach soup

Ingredients:

300 g of fresh spinach leaves
120 grams of dried chickpeas
1000 grams of water
1 tablespoon salt
2 medium onions, cut into quarters
50 grams of olive oil
200 grams of carrots, cut into pieces
3 cloves of garlic
150 g of turnip, cut into pieces (optional)
Pepper, as desired

Preparation:

1. Arrange spinach in the container of the Varoma and set aside.
2. Place chickpeas in the TM bowl, pulverize them for 30 seconds on Speed 9, put in a bowl and keep aside.
3. Put water in the TM bowl along with the salt, onions, oil, carrots, garlic, turnips and chickpea powder (lastly, position the Varoma) and cook for 25 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.
Set aside the Varoma, replace and hold the Measuring Cup and mix for 1 minute and 30 seconds on Speed 8-9.
Transfer the spinach into a serving bowl, pour the soup over and season with salt and pepper. Mix soup and spinach together and serve hot.

Originally posted here at the Thermomix Forum

Spinach and potato soup with omelette

Roughly translated/adapted from A Tutto Vapore

Spinach and potato soup with omelette

Ingredients:

Omelette (Royal cream)
4 eggs (60 g)
100 g cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch nutmeg

Soup
1 onion, cut in half (70g)
20 grams of oil
80 grams of celery, cut into pieces
100 grams of carrots, cut into pieces
400 grams of potatoes, cut into pieces
80 g leeks, cut into pieces 1 cm
800 g of water
2 vegetable stock cubes or 1 Tbsp TMX stock concentrate
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
150 grams of spinach leaves (or 150 g frozen chopped spinach thawed)
100 g cream

Preparation:

Omelette:
1. Place all the ingredients for omelette in the TM bowl, mix for 10 seconds on Speed 4

2. Pour mixture into a jug until ready to cook the soup. Clean and dry the TM bowl.

3. When at point 6. below, line the container of Varoma with a sheet of baking paper, moistened and wrung out (big enough to cover the edges) and pour in the mixture.

Soup:
4. Place the onion in the TM bowl, chop for 3 seconds on Speed 5.
Add the oil, sauté for 2 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.

5. Add celery, carrot, potato and leek, chop for 4 seconds on Speed 5.

6. Add water, stock and spices, position the baking paper-lined Varoma with omelette mixture and cook for about 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1. After the 20 minutes set aside the Varoma with the cooked omelette.

7. Add spinach and cream to the TM bowl, cook for 3 minutes at 100°C on Speed 2. Mix for 30 seconds at Speed 10, carefully holding down the Measuring Cup. Season as necessary.

8. Carefully remove the omelette with the paper from the Varoma, cut into diamond shapes with a knife.

9. Pour the soup into 6 serving plates and decorate with the omelette pieces. Serve immediately.

Suggestion: In place of the omelette you can cook meat balls in the Varoma to add to the soup or decorate the soup with cubes of ham or bacon. For a lighter version replace the cream in the soup with milk. The omelette pieces can be used to decorate all of the soups.


Originally posted here at the Thermomix Forum

Cream of beetroot soup with horseradish dumplings

Adapted/roughly translated from "A Tutto Vapore"

Cream of beetroot soup with horseradish dumplings

Ingredients:

Horseradish Gnocchi:
130 g milk
40 g butter, more as needed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
80 g semolina
60 g horseradish, ready to use
1 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
1 egg (60g)

For the soup:
500 g beetroot, peeled
600 g vegetable stock
200 g white wine
20 g flour
1 Tbsp wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
2 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch pepper
130 g cream
1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation:

For horseradish dumplings:

Start by oiling the tray and container of the Varoma.

Put milk, butter, salt and nutmeg in the TM bowl and cook for 2 minutes at 90°C on Speed 1. Add the semolina, horseradish and chives and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4, then, cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds at 100°C on Speed 3. Add the egg and stir for 10 seconds on Speed 3.

Prepare small dumplings with wet hands (about 18 pieces) and place them in the oiled container and tray of the Varoma.

For the soup:

Place beetroot into the TM bowl and chop for 3 seconds on Speed 6.
Add Stock, wine, flour, vinegar and spices. Mix for 5 seconds on Speed 3. Position the Varoma and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 2.

Remove the Varoma and set it aside. Replace the Measuring Cup and mix for 25 seconds on Speed 6-7. Add the cream and lemon juice and cook for 3 minutes at 100°C on Speed 3.

Pour the soup into plates, add the horseradish dumplings and garnish with some chives.

Originally posted here at the Thermomix Forum

Thermomix Truffle Soup

There has been a lot of discussion locally about truffles lately (1, 2, 3, 4) , due to the fantastic truffle season we are having this year and, also with all the new producers. One area of discussion has been about the strength of the aroma from the local versus the European truffles.

A good point made by Neil is that who really cares, we can’t get fresh truffles from Europe now, so let’s enjoy them while we can. Support our local producers.

George Biron at Sunnybrae also pointed out that truffles seem to lose some of their aroma when cooked. I couldn’t agree more, but one dish that does allow the diner to be hit with loads of truffle scent when the product is cooked is Paul Bocuse’s Truffle Soup. A soup that is served with a pastry lid to hold in the fantastic smell until the diner breaks open the crust.

M. Bocuse created this truffle soup for M. and Mme Valéry Giscard d Estaing, on Tuesday 25 February 1975, when the French president presented him with the cross of the Légion d'Honneur, as an ambassador of French cooking.

It was on the degustation menu at Restaurant Paul Bocuse in Diamaru during its existence and continues to grace the menu in Lyon.

It really is best to chop the vegetables by hand so that you have about 2mm cubes. It is better for presentation, but then what would be left for the Thermomix?

TRUFFLE SOUP
Soupe aux truffes Élysée

Ingredients:
Quantities per person

Matignon
2 teaspoons carrot
2 teaspoons onion
2 teaspoons celery
2 teaspoons mushrooms
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

50 g truffle
20 g foie gras
250 g strong chicken consommé
60 g flaky pastry
1 egg yolk, beaten
Salt and pepper as needed

Method:

Use individual ovenproof soup bowls. Preheat oven to 220°C.

Place the carrot and onion into the TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on speed 6. Add the celery and mushrooms and chop for another 3 seconds on speed 6. You want the vegetables to look like tiny dice( a brunoise) Add butter and cook for 4 minutes at 90°C until soft to make a matignon. Put 2 tablespoons of this matigtnon into each soup bowl with finely sliced truffles, foie gras and the consomme. Check the seasoning.

Take a thin layer of flaky pastry, brush with egg yolk and cover the soup bowl with it, sealing the edges tightly.

Put the bowls into the oven, to cook very quickly. The pastry will puff up and turn a beautiful golden colour when cooked.

To eat the soup, break the pastry with your spoon so that it falls in flakes into the bowl.

Merci M. Bocuse.

Thermomix Fennel and Apple Soup

Fennel is one of my favourite vegetables and with the Thermomix soups are a breeze. The machine chops, sautes, cooks and blends the soup in the one bowl.

This recipe has apples added to give a bit of thickening without flour and with the Thermomix you can add the whole apple, core and all and then blend it finely at the end. It really does work. But I tend to just core them. I know some of you will be telling me that I am missing out on certain vitamins/nutrients, next time I'll leave them in.

You can add other flavourings - fennel seeds, curry powder, your choice. I like to add some cream and Anice or Pernod at the end, but that is my personal choice.

Give fennel soups a try while the bulbs are around in abundance.

Fennel & Apple Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon oil
500g fennel (approx 1 large bulb or 2 small), roughly chopped, reserve some green fronds for garnish
½ cup white wine
2 green apples (Granny Smith), cored and chopped into quarters
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (use your TM vegie stock concentrate and water)
Salt & pepper
100ml cream (optional)
30ml aniseed liqueur (Pernod, Anice, Ouzo) (optional)

Method:

Place onion and garlic in TM bowl and chop for 15 – 20 seconds on speed 7. It is best to scrape down sides every 5 seconds to get better texture. Add the oil and sauté for 4 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.

Add fennel to the bowl and chop for 20 seconds on speed 7. Again, stop and scrape down the sides every 5-10 seconds. Add the white wine and cook for 4 minutes at 100 ºC on speed 1.

Add the apple and chop for 15 seconds on speed 7. Add the stock and cook for 15 minutes at 100 ºC on speed 1. Gradually increase speed over 30 seconds from speed 1 to speed 7. Blend well. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.

If you like a creamy soup, then you can add some cream, and if you want to smell the aniseed, than you can add some liqueur. To mix through blend after these additions for 10 seconds on speed 3.

Serve with some of the reserved fronds chopped finely and some olive oil or butter if desried.

Apple & Mushroom Soup - Thermomix Recipe

The recipe is based on one from an English chef, John Tovey, who was the proprietor at Miller Howe restaurant on the shores of Lake Windermere, in the English Lakes district. It appears in his Radio Times Step-by-step All-colour Cookbook and, as you can see from his costume on the cover, he had some unusual ideas.

The recipe converts very well to making in the Thermomix and blitzing at the end really reduces the need for straining.

Another benefit is the ability to rapidly convert ice cubes to a liquid. I use ice cube trays (the large rubbery ones) to freeze stock so that thawing is a breeze after blitzing in the Thermomix.

It is not the most appealling of colours, but add some truffles or truffle salsa and it really lifts it.

For a bit of variation add some walnuts after the soup has been blended and run the Thermomix for a few seconds at Speed 3 to break them up a little.

Apple & Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

200g onions, peeled & quartered
100g butter or oil
400g apples, cut into large chunks (there is no need to peel or core them)
400g mushrooms, chopped if large
100ml dry sherry
800ml stock, (beef is good or vegetable for vegetarians)
Salt & Pepper
Fresh cream and herbs to garnish

Method:
Place onions in bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7, scraping down and chopping more if needed. Add the butter or oil and sauté for 4 minutes at 100ºC on speed 1.

Insert apples into TM bowl and process for 7 seconds at speed 7 to break up apple into small pieces. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes at 90°C on speed 2 until skins are very soft. Add mushrooms and blend for 7 – 10 seconds at speed 7 to break up mushrooms a little. Use the spatula through the lid to push mushrooms down if needed. Once the mushrooms are in smallish pieces add the sherry and cook for 15 - 20 minutes at 90°C on speed 2.

Blend for 30 seconds by slowing going from speed 1 to speed 9. Make sure the measuring cup is firmly in place when doing this step.

Add the stock and cook for another 3 minutes at 90°C on speed 2.

Check for seasoning before placing in bowls.

Garnish with cream and herbs and serve with a glass of sherry.

The soup can be made more luxuriant by adding cream to the mix or truffle salsa.