Recipes - Soups & Starters

(Most recently added recipes display first.)

Pumpkin Soup Pronto

Ingredients

  • 500g Jap pumpkin cleaned & evenly cut
  • 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1-2 teaspoons Thai or Indian curry paste
  • Juice 1/2 lemon
  • Yoghurt to serve

Preparation

  • Place pumpkin in circular configuration around the outer edge of a microwave safe plate, sprinkle with water, cover and zap on high (100%) 6 – 7 minutes.
  • Mash roughly and keep warm.
  • Place onion, curry paste and stock in a microwave safe jug, cover and zap on High (100%) 5 – 6 minutes, uncover and stir in pumpkin and lime juice.
  • Serve swirled with yoghurt and crusty bread.

Polenta Fingers with Fresh Corn & Bacon

Ingredients

  • 2 cups hot water, lightly salted
  • 1/2 cup of polenta
  • 2 tsp seeded mustard
  • 2 corn cobs, silks removed, but husks left on
  • 3 lean slices of bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • Oil
  • Pepper to taste

Serves 4

Preparation

  • Bring water to the boil in an ovenable glass jug, 4 minutes on High (100%).
  • Stir in polenta and cook 3 to 4 minutes on High (100%) stirring once.
  • Blend in mustard (polenta should have thickened).
  • Spread polenta in a shallow dish and allow to cool until firm.
  • Lightly oil corn cobs then recover with husk.
  • Cook on the edges of the turntable for 4 minutes on High (100%).
  • Set aside to stand until cool enough to handle.
  • Remove kernels from cobs, into a bowl.
  • Place bacon between several sheets of paper towel and cook on High (100%) for 2 minutes until crisp.
  • Add to corn kernels and season with pepper to taste.
  • Stir through parsley.
  • Slice polenta into 8 fingers and brown in a non stick fry pan or barbecue.
  • Top polenta fingers with corn mix and serve with a green salad.

Asian Style Prawn & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • 50g baby carrots cleaned, cut into thin 5 c.m. strips
  • half celery stick, cut into 5 c.m. strips
  • 3 green onions, cut into thin 5 c.m. strips
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 c.m. ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 small red chilli (optional) de-seeded, finely chopped
  • 6 medium green prawns, de-veined, tails intact
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves for garnishing

Serves 3-4

Preparation

  • Place prepared carrots, celery, green onions, garlic, ginger and chilli into a 1 litre microwave safe jug.
  • Cook on HIGH (100%) for 5 minutes.
  • Add the green prawns and soy sauce.
  • Pour in chicken stock.
  • Cover the jug and place in the microwave oven and cook on HIGH (100%) for 5 minutes.
  • Uncover carefully away from you to avoid escaping steam and serve in small bowls garnished with coriander leaves.

Tip
replace prawns with cubes of firm tofu and Japanese soy for a vegetarian alternative.