Bean & vege soup/stew

This is a basic winter vege soup. It can be varied in lots of ways, by choosing different veges or different herbs, or by serving it in different ways. Experiment and enjoy. One hint though, it’s best to decide what variation you want to make before you start!

Variation 1: Chunky soup with toast

• Serve as is with a dollop of cream of some kind (optional), and hot buttered toast

Variation 2: Thick soup with toast

• Puree the soup with a handheld wand, or in a blender.
• Serve with a dollop of cream of some kind (optional), and hot buttered toast

Variation 3: Minestrone style soup

• With this variation, you might like to replace the parsnip with a couple of zucchini
• You could also replace the tomato paste with a tin of Italian style tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Set the pasta to cook about 15 mins before the soup will be ready.
• Add to the soup just before serving. Top with a dollop of cream (optional)

  Variation 4: Vegetarian stew, with Basic brown rice (or quinoa)

• Set the rice cooking before you start on the soup (if using quinoa, can cook after soup is underway)
• If you are a strict vegetarian, use vegetable stock. But you just don’t feel like chunks of meat, the meatier stocks will give superior flavour and nutritive value.
• If it’s too runny, simmer for a few minutes with the lid off to thicken, or thicken with a little arrowroot

Variation 5: Meat stew, with or without Basic brown rice

• Just before serving, add some precooked “matching” meat, eg. chicken if you used chicken stock. So either set the meat cooking before you start on the soup, or have it already cooked (it could be the meat you used to make the stock)
• If you’re also having rice, set it cooking before you start on the soup

• 1 ½ cups dried pinto beans
• 4 ½ cups filtered water
• 2 Tablespoons whey, lemon juice or cider vinegar
• 4 cups meat, poultry or vege stock (or water will do, but it won’t be as tasty)
• 2 cups filtered water (& extra if needed)
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large parsnip
• 1 yellow kumara
• 1 red kumara (for variety, can try different veges like celery, zucchini, potato, swede or celeriac)
• 1 teaspoon Italian herbs (or mixed herbs)
• 2 Tablespoons tomato puree or paste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or other herbs, chopped (opt)

Extras for serving

Variations 1 & 2:

• Sourdough bread (to toast)
• Butter
• Cream, sour cream or crème fraiche

Variation 3:

• Wholegrain pasta
• Cream, sour cream or crème fraiche

Variation 4:

• Basic brown rice (or quinoa)

Variation 5:

• “Matching” meat
• Basic brown rice (optional)
• Soaking the beans: Put the beans and the first lot of water into a pan & heat till water is warm. Add the whey and leave to soak for 12-24 hours, or at least overnight

Making the soup: Rinse the beans well, and put in a large pan with the stock and water. Bring to the boil and scrape off any foam. Simmer for about half an hour, while you prepare the rest of the veges. Melt the butter (and oil) in a large frying pan on about ½ heat. Meanwhile, chop up the onion, add to pan and stir. Peel and halve garlic, add and stir. Dice the carrot, add and stir. Dice the parsnip, add and stir. Chop the 2 kumara, adding and stirring every few slices. By this time the onions will be very soft and the rest of the veges coated in butter and oil. Add the cooked veges to the pot, along with the Italian herbs. If needed, add extra water so everything is well covered.

If you have a crockpot, put everything into it and leave it on low all day. It is especially important to have enough water, as you might not be around to check it. If cooking on the stove top, simmer for about another 2 to 2 ½ hours till everything is soft, stirring occasionally, and topping up the water if needed. Add the sea salt, tomato paste and parsley and simmer for another 5 mins before serving.