Vegetable Soup

[Iluvspikey]

made some, potatoes, onions, carrots, little shredded cabbage, along with some garlic and fresh herbs but it didn't taste of much, I was looking through my cupboard for some chili sauce to pep it up a bit and found some tandoori paste, added two spoonfuls and its really yummy now!

[ummmm]

What stock did you use?

[Old_Geezer]

Good.

That's veg for you though. Once you've cooked it to get rid of the awful salady taste, it sometimes doesn't have much taste left. Needs herbs/spices/whatever to make it palatable again. That's also why we add meat to the meal.

[Iluvspikey]

That was it ummmm, didn't have time (or the inclination, truth be known!) to make decent stock so used cubes - I thought it might have been my taste buds as I've had a bit of a cold, but is it just me or do veg seem to taste of nothing? I put in loads of frehly ground black pepper, some tom puree and some worcestershire sauce, then I put in the Tandoori paste

[janbee]

I can recommend broccoli and cheddar cheese. It's VERY tasty and yummy although not good for you if you have high cholesterol I suppose....all that grated mature cheddar !! Yummy though, with nice fresh crusty bread.

[ethandron]

I made some on Tuesday. Pretty much the same veg plus a tin of chopped tomatoes, one of those jelly type chicken stock pot things, a spoon of powdered veg stock and some snapped up spaghetti. Very tasty. I never bother making my own stock, there are so many good ones you can buy, forget oxo.

[Iluvspikey]

I was thinking it might be the veg as we've had so much rain, things haven't really grown to full size and not developed much taste

[taichiperson]

I find a tin of tomatoes always lifts a veg soup - unless of course it's a 'cream of' soup. Also tomato purée, soy sauce, anything hot like chilli or lime pickle, even a little pesto. Oh, and plenty of pepper when you serve it. I also sometimes put a little wholegrain mustard or chutney on the bread roll I have with it

[shoota]

I think those Knorr Stock Pots mentioned by Eth are the next best thing to fresh stock and always have some on standby for soups and casseroles.

[LyndaB]

I made some tomato and veg soup last weekend, and it was delicious. I used some tomatoes that I got for next to nothing because the sell by date was up, half a tin of tomatoes leftover from the night before, and some veg that was lurking in the bottom of the fridge that needed using up. I rinsed the tomato tin out with water, added that, then added salt and pepper, and a squirt each if tomato and brown sauce. I just boiled it till the veg were all cooked, then liquidised the lot. It was delicious!

[sandyRoe]

A bit of Marigold Bouillon powder would add taste to any soup

[Iluvspikey]

Hubby said it was delicious with some fresh warm soda bread from the oven I think I've got a cold that's affected my taste buds, and my sense of smell.

[EDDIE51]

I have recently discovered a product called ' Vegeta' . It is Polish but in a lot of shops now. Vegeta is 'seasoned salt' a mix of dried veg, herbs, spices and salt. I would not be without it now it makes any savory dish taste much better. My soups have never been more tasty plus it goes in stews, casseroles, sauces, gravy as well. I even put some over chicken or other meat and potatoes before I roast them and it improves the taste and colour. 100% vegetarian so any one can use it. Try it . ( No I am not on a retainer, I just think it is great)

[diddlydo]

Follow Raymond Blanc's example and don't use any stock in vegetable soups - let the veg speak for themselves.

[heathfield]

Are you first frying the onions till they soften, then adding the veg and stirring it around till it starts 'sweating'? I hope so, since this process adds to the flavour.

[pastafreak]

I find a base of sweated onions,carrots and celery gives a good flavour. Also-try either Marigold Swiss Bouillon powder,or Herbimare seasoned salt(from healthfood shops. They both will and more depth to your stock.

http://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Marigold-Swiss-Vegetable-Bouillon-Powder/12984011?from=shop&tags=|13412&parentContainer=|13412_SHELFVIEW

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