Tinned tomatoes, whole tin of butter beans, handful of fresh kale, half of a red onion.

An utterly divine experience served up with a couple of wholemeal rolls from my local bakery.

And ITK would be pleased to note that two days worth of soup cost around £3 (including the rolls).

Sounds delicious Steve; just my kind of soup. I shall try it.

JK2006 wrote:
Sounds delicious Steve; just my kind of soup. I shall try it.

I suppose you could use fresh tomatoes JK, good quality tinned ones just for convenience more than anything. And Kale, just so versatile!

Tinned tomatoes are delicious and quite different from fresh but fabulous in their own right. This is an interesting aspect of several things. Where fresh and tinned (or frozen) are not "better or worse" but different and equal. I actually like frozen peas as much as fresh, but in a different way. Also, corn on the cob is best cooked in a microwave (far better than boiling). Condensed, tinned milk tastes nothing like milk but is delicious in its own right.

I will be making this soup after the trip to the fruit shop for kale (Or spring cabbage).
I should think tinned tomatoes are much better for this soup because they are sweeter than fresh.


I have never thought of microwaving corn. Do you just throw it in as it is? I usually do mine on a cast iron grill pan.

It needs going in a microwaveable dish with a little water; ends up not only faster but much sweeter and nicer.

JK2006 wrote:
It needs going in a microwaveable dish with a little water; ends up not only faster but much sweeter and nicer.

I shall try that. I have got a mental block with using the microwave except for re-heating or softening butter and doing hot "water" bottles.

As we were talking about bargains on another thread I will mention that my brand new microwave only cost a pound at a boot sale.

My misses will be making this soup and she is grateful Steve.

I got a soup maker on Steve's recommendation - thanks Steve - and it's great. Sweet Mirabella peppers go well with most things, and it cooks carrots as well as anything I've tried. Such a versatile thing.

New potatoes done in a microwave are convenient too. Use one of those vented lid plastic food things, a couple of tablespoons of water and the potatoes basically steam boil after 8-10 minutes, depending on how many you have in there. A bit of trial and error but more convenient than boiling water and waiting.

andrew wrote:
My misses will be making this soup and she is grateful Steve.

Pleasure, it was just experimentation and wanting to get away from the usual potato base - butter beans just a fantastic replacement.

JK2006 wrote:
Tinned tomatoes are delicious and quite different from fresh but fabulous in their own right. This is an interesting aspect of several things. Where fresh and tinned (or frozen) are not "better or worse" but different and equal. I actually like frozen peas as much as fresh, but in a different way. Also, corn on the cob is best cooked in a microwave (far better than boiling). Condensed, tinned milk tastes nothing like milk but is delicious in its own right.

Ha, grew up with a Grandfather who never used fresh milk, always Carnation Condensed. Sad that these days I can't touch any milk or cream at all with lactose intolerance....

steveimp wrote:
andrew wrote:
My misses will be making this soup and she is grateful Steve.

Pleasure, it was just experimentation and wanting to get away from the usual potato base - butter beans just a fantastic replacement.

The (slightly embellished) soup was a great success. It took hours on the stove though. How long in the soupmaker?

honey!oh sugar sugar. wrote:
steveimp wrote:
andrew wrote:
My misses will be making this soup and she is grateful Steve.

Pleasure, it was just experimentation and wanting to get away from the usual potato base - butter beans just a fantastic replacement.

The (slightly embellished) soup was a great success. It took hours on the stove though. How long in the soupmaker?

About 20 minutes

steveimp wrote:
honey!oh sugar sugar. wrote:
steveimp wrote:
andrew wrote:
My misses will be making this soup and she is grateful Steve.

Pleasure, it was just experimentation and wanting to get away from the usual potato base - butter beans just a fantastic replacement.

The (slightly embellished) soup was a great success. It took hours on the stove though. How long in the soupmaker?

About 20 minutes

Oh I'm definitely getting one then!

replace kale with cabbage and you have the perfect weight loss soup if you can put up with it for a week.

# also fresh parmesan sprinkled on top a dish worthy of Gordon Ramsey

hedda wrote:
replace kale with cabbage and you have the perfect weight loss soup if you can put up with it for a week.

# also fresh parmesan sprinkled on top a dish worthy of Gordon Ramsey

Ahh, that's interesting, thank you for that.

Steve - you'll be amused that your soup maker threads get loads and loads of views on here!

steveimp wrote:

And ITK would be pleased to note that two days worth of soup cost around £3 (including the rolls).

Eat well (and fresh !) - and save money!

The problem (for the dolers) though, steve - is you don;t tell them what to do with it !

Do you shove it in the X-Box ?????

In The Know wrote:
steveimp wrote:

And ITK would be pleased to note that two days worth of soup cost around £3 (including the rolls).

Eat well (and fresh !) - and save money!

The problem (for the dolers) though, steve - is you don;t tell them what to do with it !

Do you shove it in the X-Box ?????

I hate to say it but nutbag and manager of Ye Olde Toree Corner Shoppe ITK has a point.

The soup diet (I recommend the cabbage substitute because cabbage is an under-rated but wholesome & delicious vegetable) is very very cheap. Add some wholemeal bread and a few baked potatoes and the great seething masses of the UK could survive quite handsomely on social security with a full stomach.

They could then all spend their extra money on cable TV.

Or like me buy a bottle of Champagne and toast Che Guervara and the coming of worldwide Socialism.