Nicola Galloway is back with another winning meal plan to brighten up our winter nights.
Through the winter months we eat soup often. Having a pre-made soup mix on hand means a hearty dinner is never far away. When the cool weather arrives I make up a large jar of soup mix – consisting of equal parts brown or green lentils, brown rice and quinoa (see image below). I also keep stock trimmings (onion skins, carrot tops and celery leaves) in the freezer so I can quickly make a pot of vegetable stock. And a wander around the winter garden yields a harvest of silverbeet, kale and parsley for fresh flavour.
The beetroot flatbreads make a cheerful addition to this simple winter soup. I often pop a covered dish of 2-3 whole beetroot in the oven when I am baking bread or a cake. Beets can take up to an hour to soften when roasted whole so I make the most of the oven heat. Roasted beetroot will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. They can be sliced into salads, marinated with olive oil and vinegar, or pureed to add to cake, brownies, bread and flat breads.
Hearty Vegetable Soup
Serves 4-6
I like to pre-soak the soup mix to improve digestion and speed cooking. In the morning I measure the soup mix into a bowl and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Cover with a plate and leave to soak during the day. When ready to prepare the soup drain and rinse the soup mix in a sieve.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2-3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup soup mix (see ingredients above), pre-soaked and rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6-8 silverbeet or kale leaves, shredded
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- small handful parsley, chopped
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot over a moderate heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic, cumin and turmeric and cook until fragrant. Add the carrots, celery and soup mix, and muddle around with a wooden spoon for a minute or two then add the stock and salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the lentils, rice and quinoa are soft. Add the shredded greens and cook briefly until wilted. Check seasoning and adding more salt and cracked pepper as needed.
Remove from the heat and stir through the vinegar or lemon juice. Serve the soup scattered with parsley and warm beetroot flatbread for dunking.
Beetroot Flatbreads
Makes 8
- 1 whole roasted beetroot, about 150-180g
- 1/2 cup yoghurt (can use non-dairy yoghurt)
- 2 1/2 cups flour* + extra for kneading
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
*I used white spelt flour but a combo of white wheat, spelt and wholemeal flours can be used.
Method
Peel the beetroot, chop roughly and puree with the yoghurt in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add the flour, oil and salt. Mix into a shaggy dough - i.e. a little flour showing is OK. If the dough is very wet - this will depend on the beetroot freshness and moisture content- add 1-3 tablespoons extra flour.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 1 hour - or in the fridge overnight. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead until smooth. Divide into 8 pieces, cover with the tea towel. Heat a heavy-based skillet (such as a cast iron frying pan) over a moderate/high heat. Roll out the flat breads one at a time to a 20cm round - leaving the others resting under the damp towel. Cook in the unoiled hot pan until puffy, then flip and cook until golden on both sides.
Keep the flatbreads in a warm oven (75°C) while cooking the remaining flatbreads. Serve with soup or fill with salad and falafel and accompanying sauces.
Nicola Galloway teaches cooking workshops on sourdough and fermentation around NZ, and is the author of Homegrown Kitchen cookbook. Find more of her recipes on her website: www.homegrown-kitchen.co.nz