Jerusalem Artichoke or Salsify Soup

Theodora Fitzgibbon 'Traditional Scottish Cookery'

Measurements are all approximate. Serves 6
1 1/2 lbs (700g) Jerusalem artichokes or salsify
2 medium onions
2 oz (50g) butter
1 pint (600ml) water
1 pint (600ml) milk
1 level tablespoonful flour
salt and pepper
chopped chives or parsley for garnish

Wash, peel and slice artichokes (salsify) and put into water with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Slice onions.
Melt butter in pan, add onions. Then add drained and dried artichokes (salsify). Cook over a low heat until thay start to soften. Sprinkle over flour, making sure that it's well blended in. Add water, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add milk and bring to the boil. Taste for seasoning and blend until smooth. Garnish.

Cullen Skink

I never measure ingredients in things like soup. This recipe comes from Theodora Fitzgibbon's 'Traditional Scottish Cookery'. Serves 4

1 large smoked haddock, about 2lbs (1 kilo)
water to cover
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 1/2 pints (900ml) milk
8 oz (225g) mashed potato (or uncooked, diced or sliced)
seasoning and butter

Put haddock in shallow pan, skin side down, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes (with potato if necessary). Take from the pan, remove skin and bones, flake it and return to stock with onion. Simmer for 15 minutes.. Add the milk and bring to boiling point, then add enough mashed potato to make it the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper, blend if you want a smooth soup. Cut butter into very small pieces and sprinkle on top. Serve with triangles of dry toast.

Clear Chicken Soup

1. (Source: Mel)

Chicken carcass
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Water
Salt & Pepper

Bring to boil and simmer for about 2 hrs (not too long or soup will be bone flavoured). Remove carcass, etc. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with noodles (vermicelli) and/or matzo meal dumplings (kneidlech, alkies).

Dumplings (for clear chicken soup) (Source: Auntie Dora? or Rakusens) -

1 breakfast cup medium Matzo meal (contains wheat)
1 breakfast cup boiling water
1 egg
1 tsp parsley
2 tbsp chicken fat
salt & pepper
nutmeg & ginger (ground)

Pour boiling water over the meal and stir well until blended.
Add egg, fat parsley, and seasoning.
Mix thoroughly and put in fridge for at least 1hr
With hands dipped in cold water roll into tiny balls.
Drop in boiling soup and simmer gently for 15 min. with saucepan uncovered

TanyaK's modified (eggless can be vegan) matzo balls:
Don't use egg.
Can swap out chook fat for olive oil or other fat
Can also add garlic salt
Can use a bit of bouillon in the water to replace the missing chook flavour.

Bake the balls at 275F / 150C for 15-20 min, DO NOT BROWN
Drop cooked balls into soup, simmer.

Hearty-Cheaty Bean and Tomato Soup (Ben)

Ruin the magic...
Produces a lovely hearty hand-knitted soup.

2 tins good quality plum tomatoes / chopped tomatoes
1 tin Heinz baked beans
ground black pepper in largeish quantity

Combine tin contents in a pan, liquidise with a hand blender to a chunky consistency
Heat.
Add black pepper to taste.


Variations include Mel's Mam's Blackpool B&B addition to tin tomato soup - add chopped tomato skins for a truly authentic home-made look.