by Neil Nicol

Created on: February 02, 2009

Although it is entirely possible to make very low fat soups and stocks with meat products, it is nigh on impossible to make such fat free. No matter all the bother we may go to in allowing the stock to cool and skimming off the congealed fat, there is always going to be that little bit remains. We are therefore considering such as vegetable broth if looking to make fat free soup. I very much hope you like my interpretation of same.

The first thing we have to do is make the stock for our soup. I know that it is now possible to buy fresh stocks in most supermarkets without resorting to the dreaded chemical cubes but I personally believe that there is no adequate substitute for the home made variety.

For the stock, you will require:

2 stalks of celery (roughly chopped)

2 medium sized carrots (roughly chopped)

1 large or two small onions (peeled and roughly chopped)

Handful of fresh parsley (roughly chopped)

2 fresh bay leaves or one dried (roughly torn)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 pints of boiling water

Place all your solid ingredients in to your largest soup pan and pour in the boiling water. Bring back to the boil and simmer for one hour. Strain the mixture very carefully in to a large bowl or basin and discard all the solid ingredients. Your vegetable stock is now ready for use.

For the soup itself, you will require:

The vegetable stock prepared as above

2 large carrots (scraped, one diced and one grated)

2 large parsnips (scraped and diced)

1 cup of basmati rice (rinsed in cold water)

2 tbsp fresh parsley (roughly chopped)

Add all the solid ingredients except the parsley to the hot stock and bring back to the boil. Simmer for twenty-five minutes before adding the parsley and continue for another five minutes. Check the taste of the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as required.

Ladle the soup in to bowls and serve with hot, crusty bread rolls, or leave to cool and freeze in required portions. This type of soup freezes really well and can later be taken straight from the freezer and put in a pan to melt and re-heat. There is also a theory which I happen to subscribe to that soups actually taste better re-heated the following day. I believe that this is because a greater length of time has been allowed for all the different flavours to infuse. If taking the option of freezing or re-heating, however, remember to make sure that the soup is piping hot before serving.

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