Soup is honestly so fucking versatile, it’s the answer to everything Hungry? Soup. Cold? Soup. Poor? Soup. Health and immunity in question as a never before seen virus ravages your body? Shit, probably soup (not bat-soup). Whatever it is you need it for, the chefs in the Nexus cookhouse have come up with some classics for this week’s recipes.

Chicken Noodle Soup

If you’ve never had chicken noodle soup when you were a sickly child, you weren’t actually loved. Sorry to break the news. This recipe is one of the foundation recipes of the soup world. Get in to it.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Olive Oil (60 mL)
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 3 large Carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 8 cups chicken broth (2 L)
  • 8oz egg noodles (225 g)
  • 500g shredded chicken breast
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded, to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil until shimmering over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt and pepper. Cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant, for 1 minute. 

Add stock and bring to boil.

Add noodles and cook for 6 minutes, then add the chicken and cook about 2 minutes more, until the noodles are cooked through and the chicken is warmed through.

Serve topped with Parmesan.

Carrot and Squash Soup

This one goes out to my vegetarians. When the world goes down the shitter you remain stoic, refusing to turn into a pack of godless meat eaters like the rest of us. Here’s a recipe for all of you do-gooders, you’ve earned it ;).

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of Butter
  • 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of Tomato Puree
  • 3 Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 litre of Vegetable Stock
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of Cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a flat baking tray with tinfoil.  Place the butternut squash and carrots on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden.

Heat the butter or oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and gently fry the onion for 1-2 minutes until soft, then add garlic. Add the tomato puree. 

Add carrots and butternut squash, and pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and tender.

Pour the soup into a blender and blitz until smooth, or alternatively use a hand blender.

To serve, ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

Corn and Bacon Chowder

Perfect for an average sized family or lock-down flat mates that you now hate. It’s definitely getting colder out there and, as of late, the only thing that has been allowed to leave your flat is heat. This should ward off any cold nights as well as impending cabin fever.

  • 15g Butter
  • 1 cup of Cream
  • 3 rashers Bacon, chopped
  • 2 x 410g cans of Cream Style Corn
  • 2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock
  • 300g Potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup cream or milk (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until softened. Add the bacon and continue cooking until the meat colours.

Add Cream Style Corn, chicken stock, potatoes and season. Stir while bringing to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream or milk if using and serve with crusty bread.