I'm the same as Alan and haven't bought tinned soup in over a year. The one time I did try it sent my numbers through the roof. I tried making my own with some low salt stock cubes from Holland and Barrett and that worked quite well. But I've also mad my own from scratch by boiling up the carcass of a roast chicken with some veg and straining the results, it freezes really well. I quite often use left over veg to make soup, I also use,lots of fresh or forzen herbs for flavour. If you can be bothered to do it, it can pay off as you know exactly what's in it.
Here's one I made earlier.
Sort of Thai Chicken Soup (serves 4)
.5 litres chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk
@300 gms chicken or 1 large chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces (you can use the remains of that roast chicken if you wish)
2.5 cm piece of Lemongrass bashed (put it in a plastic bag and hit it hard with a meat hammer or the heel of your shoe or something solid)
2.5 cm grated fresh Ginger or Galangal if you can get it
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 medium onion or two shallots finely chopped
1 green pepper finely chopped
1 small carrot grated or finely chopped
1 or 2 medium red chillies, finely chopped and deseeded (leave the seeds if you want it hotter)
1 small bunch of Thai Basil, ordinary Basil will do, chopped
Olive oil (or suitable vegetable oil)
S&P to taste
A little grated coconut
In a large saucepan heat a little oil (don't waste your best virgin olive oil on this) and use it to soften the onion, ginger, lemongrass and garlic. Add the chicken and brown it gently, then add all the other veg except the basil. Give it a stir through to mix the flavours and add the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add most of the basil for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Just before you serve the soup, fish out the lemongrass and sprinkle the rest of the basil on top along with the grated coconut.
