Chunky Vegetable Soup

I got home today starving after a busy day in the office and was really feeling like some nice comfort food would be in place. So what better than a big bowl of hot soup and a slice of Polish bread. Here in Dublin there's a bunch of Polish people which means Polish shops and whole shelves in big grocery stores like Tesco dedicated to Polish products. This is good news to me because Polish bread is more similar to Finnish bread than Irish. Irish bread is based on soda or buttermilk instead of yeast.

I don't make soup very often and don't even own a blender to make those lovely creamy smooth soups. But guaranteed is, that I will attempt to make those some day when I have a proper kitchen filled with all lovely cooking utensils and gadgets.


This is a very rustic simple soup. I opted for a vegetable soup, since it's my favourite and not too heavy. Although this one ended up a bit too salty. Also very easy, quick and cheap to make!


Chunky Vegetable Soup

Potatoes
Carrots
Leeks
Vegetable stock cube
Parsley

Peel and dice the potatoes. Peel and chop the carrots. Slice the leeks. Try to make even pieces or cubes so that they boil roughly at the same time. Start by boiling the potatoes first, when they are almost done throw in the carrots and leeks with the vegetable stock cube. Boil until carrots are done. Garnish with parsley.

Tofu & Honey Carrots with Noodles

Thought to share one of my favourite tofu recipes, since I managed to find tofu in an ordinary grocery store here in Dublin! Lucky me! This is a very simple yet delicious quick meal. Using honey makes it rather a sweet dish and the pine seeds give a nice crunch.

I fell in love with the combination of tofu, carrots and honey here in Dublin, as it happens. I was 21 and working in a fast-food restaurant in the outskirts of the city centre and a friend of my sister's had cooked a bit for us to sample. Now I'm back here again, same city, but my turn to cook.



Tofu and Honey Carrots with Noodles

Firm Tofu
Soya Sauce
Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil
Carrots
Honey
Ginger
Pine Seeds
Egg Noodles

Cut the firm tofu into smaller cubes. Place in a bowl and marinate in soya sauce for at least 2 hours. Season with black pepper.

Peel and slice the carrots. Boil for a couple of minutes. Drain and throw on a hot frying pan. Add ginger and 2 spoonfuls of honey. Turn the heat down and stir so honey will not caramelize or burn. You just want to glace the carrots gently in the honey. Add the marinated tofu and fry, so that it has nice colour. Add the pine seeds.

Boil noodles according to instrustions in the packet. I prefer having spinach noodles myself, gives a nice colour balance with the carrots, but unfortunalely these are not always available in the store. Basically any noodles or rice will be just fine. Mix together and serve.