Soup Series, 4: Sally Odgers' Double Bubble

Sallyo’s Soups

The first soup is a rich concoction of the red/brown persuasion. The second is khaki in colour, but equally tasty.

The First Soup

You need:

One ham hock, smoked hock or bacon hock

One chicken breast or four chicken drumsticks

One large can of good quality tomato soup

Six stalks of celery

Three large carrots

One large onion

Six or eight medium mushrooms

Chicken stock powder

One large head of broccoli

A quarter of a cauliflower

A small cabbage

Dried mixed herbs

A vegetable knife/poultry shears/scissors/knife, a tin opener and spoon and a large stock pot or soup pot.

Method

Boil up the ham hock in a large soup pot for about an hour. Make sure the hock is covered in water.

When cooked, remove the hock and put aside to cool (get it into the refrigerator as quickly as possible). Set the water in a cool place and, when sufficiently cool, refrigerate for several hours.

Once the stock has set into a jelly-like consistency, remove all the white fat from the top and discard.

Return the stock to the stove with extra water if necessary. While it heats, chop the carrots, celery, onion and mushrooms and throw them into the pot. Cut up the broccoli and cauliflower and add that, then add a small amount of shredded cabbage.

Add about a dessert spoon of powdered stock.

Remove all the fat from the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Remove all the fat and skin from the hock, and cut the meat into pieces. When the soup is almost cooked (about one hour), add the ham and chicken and a teaspoon of mixed herbs. Simmer for a further ten minutes to cook the chicken. Add the can of tomato soup and blend with a wooden spoon.

Serve with bread, rolls or croutons.

This soup is thick enough to serve as a main meal. It serves six to eight, or can be refrigerated for up to three days.

The Second Soup

You need:

One ham hock, smoked hock or bacon hock

One chicken breast or four chicken drumsticks

Two leeks

One medium sweet potato

One medium swede or turnip

One large wedge of pumpkin

Chicken stock powder

One large head of broccoli

Half a cauliflower

Curry powder

One can of creamed corn

A vegetable knife/poultry shears/scissors/knife, a tin opener, spoon, potato masher and a large stock pot or soup pot.

Method

Boil up the ham hock in a large soup pot for about an hour. Make sure the hock is covered in water.

When cooked, remove the hock and put aside to cool (get it into the refrigerator as quickly as possible). Set the water in a cool place and, when sufficiently cool, refrigerate for several hours.

Once the stock has set into a jelly-like consistency, remove all the white fat from the top and discard.

Return the stock to the stove with extra water if necessary. While it heats, remove the coarse leaves and root end from the leeks. Cut them in half lengthwise and wash in cold water to remove any grit. Slice finely and add to stock.

Peel and chop the pumpkin, swede and sweet potato, then chop the cauliflower and broccoli. Add these to the stock along with a dessert spoon of stock powder. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Remove from the stove, and mash with a potato masher. Add curry powder to taste (usually one teaspoon full), and then add chopped raw chicken and the chopped lean meat from the hock. Simmer gently for ten minutes to cook the chicken. Add the can of creamed corn. Mix well.

The soup is thick enough for a main meal. It serves six to eight, or can be refrigerated for up to three days.

Sally Odgers' latest book is 'How to be an Awesome Author', a fun handbook for children on writing. Here's the intro:

Are you ready for awesomeness?

You can write awesome stories. All you need is an idea, some characters, a setting, a plot and—
Whoa there! This is starting to sound like hard work. And you know what? It is hard work, but it can still be fun. In this book you’ll find out lots of ways to make those awesome stories even more awesome.
How to be An Awesome Author is available from Sally's site.