Sweet potato & chorizo soup

Sometimes I really don't feel like cooking a large meal at night & fancy a big bowl of soup instead.  Luckily, my kids are happy with this too & this particular soup is our current favourite.

 

I first had this when Alfie was at his friend's birthday party last winter, it was so warming & tasty, I knew I'd be cooking it a lot from then on!!

 

 

 

 

The recipe is a Jamie Oliver one but I've adapted it ever so slightly for our tastes.

 

Sweet potato & chorizo soup

serves 6-8

 

2 carrots, roughly diced

2 onions, chopped

2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped

800g sweet potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped

200g chorizo sausage (spicy or mild depending on your taste)

olive oil

1 or 2 tbsp Balti paste (according to taste)

2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 1.8l boiling water

small bunch fresh parsley, chopped

salt & pepper

 

1.  Put a large pot on a medium-high heat & add a splash of olive oil.  Add all the chopped veg, parsley & chorizo & stir.  Add the Balti paste & mix well.

2.  Cook for around 5 - 10 minutes until the carrots start to soften slightly.

3.  Pour the hot stock in to the pan & stir well.

4.  Bring to the boil & reduce heat.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

5.  Using a liquidiser or hand blender (or whizzy stick as I call it!), blend until smooth.

6.  Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or finely chopped red chilli if you wish.

 

This is great served with some chunky wholegrain bread & a glass or two of shiraz.  A few months ago I read in a magazine about this Koolibura shiraz from Aldi, of all places.  I'd always been a bit dubious about trying their wines but it really is delicious & I've since tried many more & haven't had a dud one yet!  Their Toro Loco Tempranillo is another firm favourite of ours & such a bargain at around £3.50 a bottle!

 

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



Choccywoccydoodah

It was Mr F's birthday yesterday (he is so not impressed by being halfway to 50 now!!) so I baked him the old family favourite, Chocolate Cake.  Now, this is no ordinary chocolate cake, it is simply the best chocolate cake, in my humble opinion of course!!

 

Many years ago I started out on a mission to find the best chocolate cake I could & after baking, & sampling, too many to mention of the things, I finally had that hallelujah moment when I found this recipe.  All of the previous recipes I'd tried before this one had been ok.......but that was it, just ok.  Not brilliant or truly delicious or anything I'd particularly bake time & time again.  Until this little baby!!

 

 

 

When I first read the recipe & saw it contained Coca-Cola (or any other full-sugar cola drink!!) I thought it'd be really sugary sweet & a bit bleuurgghhh, truth be told.  But I've never been so happy to be proven wrong!!   It has never failed & I've passed on the recipe to many people who have also loved it & is now a firm family favourite.  So if you're after a really moist choc cake, that will stay moist for days after (not that it lasts longer than a day in my house!) then this is the one for you.  Thank you James Martin!!!

 

 

 

Chocolate Cola Cake                    180C/350F/Gas4              Lined 24cm tin

 

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

300g golden caster sugar

3 heaped tbsp cocoa

generous pinch bicarbonate of soda

250g butter

250ml cola drink

125ml milk

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

 

Frosting

100g butter

2 tbsp cola

2 tbsp cocoa

200g icing sugar, sieved

 

Method

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa & bicarb into a bowl.  Melt the butter & cola gently in a pan.  Beat the eggs into the milk & add the vanilla extract.

Pour the butter & cola mix into the dry ingredients & mix well but gently.  Add the milk & eggs & mix well.

Pour the batter into the tin & bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven & cool while you make the frosting.

Melt the butter, cola & cocoa in a pan.  It may or may not split but don't worry if it does.

Pour onto the icing sugar & mix well.  Leave to cool down & thicken slightly.

Spread the frosting onto the cake while it is still slightly warm.

Devour!!

 

 

I've also adapted this cake slightly before by omitting the vanilla & replacing with pure orange extract & orange zest or peppermint extract to make choc orange or choc mint cake - obviously!!  It also makes great cupcakes, just lower the oven temperature to 170C & bake for 20-22 minutes.  Makes around 24 cupcakes.

 

I hope you try & enjoy this heavenly cake as much as we all do!!
Bon appetit!