Hearty Vegetable Soup with Homemade Beer & Corn Bread PDF Print E-mail

A filling meal, perfect for a cold night. Alternatively, pop into a vacuum flask for outings or school lunches.

vegetable_sauteServes 4/Makes 1.5 litres

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 litres stock (vegetable, chicken or beef)
4 cups chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, corn, peas, cauliflower, broccoli)
2 x 425g canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed (or baked beans, not rinsed)
1 cup dried pasta, any small shape
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, or to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste

  • Heat oil in large saucepan and cook onion and garlic over moderate heat for 2 minutes, stirring. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer until heated through.
  • Can be served as is or for a thicker soup, strain soup, puree half the vegetable mix, return to the saucepan with strained vegetables.

Alternatives:

  • Add chopped chicken, beef, lamb or seafood, lean ham.
  • Add mini meatballs or dumplings.
  • Use less liquid and make it into a casserole.

Beer and corn bread

corn_cobsMakes 1 loaf

1 ½ cups self raising flour
1 ½ cups wholemeal self raising flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn kernels
1 tablespoon sugar
375ml can warm beer
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds

  • Sift flours and salt, returning sifted fibre into mix.  Stir in corn and sugar.  Make a well in the centre and add enough beer to form a soft dough (not all the beer may be needed).  Stir to combine, then gently knead mixture using hands.
  • Put dough into a greased or baking paper lined 10 x 20cm loaf tin.  Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with seeds.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes for dough to rise a little.
  • Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180oC) for 35-40 minutes or until cooked (when skewer inserted in centre comes out clean).  Serve warm, cold or toasted.

Suggestions:

  • Substitute corn or simply add as well: pitted black olives, red capsicum, semi dried tomatoes, basil pesto, medium fresh or dried red chillies, mushrooms, cheese, walnuts.
  • Sesame seeds could be substituted with sunflower seeds.