Summer Squash Soup - Test 1

Good hot or cold - good for picnics
1 - It made a good soup, but a bit plain; I put in 4 dashes of hot sauce which made it spicy, which was an improvement. I wonder about herbs? 

2 - I've increased the recipe by a third, and I've decided on tarragon for the herb with chives as a garnish. In thinking about it as I am making it, it also occurs to me that cooking the onion with a little garlic just until the onion is soft and not coloured might also add flavor. Boiling the onion might keep it light and allow the zucchini and tarragon to come through better. I don't know. Things to try.

The result is a very delicate soup. Ben quite liked it and seemed to grow to like it as he ate it. With the addition of tarragon the hot sauce does not work. Not something he'd like frequently. I forgot to put in broth, I only used water, but this might change things a bit again. 

3 - This worked really quite nicely. It really only makes 4 proper bowls of soup.

4 servings

3 med zucchini (14oz/600g) grated
3 cups chicken or veg broth
3 medium onions (18oz/410g) chopped fine
1/2 tsp hot sauce
½ tsp pepper
¾ cup yogurt + more for topping

2 Tbsps. tarragon

Chives and yogurt (for garnish)

1. Combine broth, zucchini and onion in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the onions soften.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon and pepper.
4. Process in a blender, add yogurt mix well until smooth.
5. Serve with chives and any extra tarragon sprinkled on top and pass around a bowl of fresh yogurt to drizzle over the soup.

Ginger Peanut Soup - Testing

This is a recipe from a café I worked at a long time ago!

1 - I have no idea when I last made this. It seems like adding tamari and lemon juice helps flavors pop. But how much?

4 to 6 servings

2 Tbsps. oil

1½ cups broccoli florets
1½ cups bean sprouts
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp grated ginger root
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups veg stock
(14oz/398mL) diced tomatoes
5 Tbsps. (75g) natural peanut butter

? tsps. Soy sauce

? tsps. lemon juice

1. In a large soup pot heat the oil and sauté the broccoli, bean sprouts, onions, ginger, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper until the onions are just tender.
2. Add the stock, tomatoes and peanut butter.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to gentle simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.