Thomas - 1001 recipes youve always wanted to cook

When you feel like something light and delicious, weve got the right dish for you, whether its a warming vegetable soup, a healthy salad or a simple egg dish. In this chapter you will find great recipes for sandwiches, toasts, and filled wraps and pittas as well as burgers and pancakes perfect for brunch, lunch or even a simple supper. The soups can be made in advance, stored in the fridge and reheated for quick and easy meals during the week, or they can be frozen in individual portions. As well as the classic French onion soup and tomato soup, there are more unusual recipes for cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup and borscht. Some of the soups are so filling that they are a meal in a bowl by themselves minestrone and smoked haddock chowder both fall into this category. Eggs always make a nutritious and economical light meal when youre in a hurry, so try our delicious take on French toast, eggs Benedict or a colourful piperade from the Basque area.

And if you really dont have time to cook, theres always mushrooms or beans on toast, or even a tangy Welsh rarebit. Youll never be short of ideas.

50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter 2 onions, chopped 2 celery sticks, chopped 1 litre/1 pints/4 cups vegetable stock 700g/1lb calabrese, broken into florets, stalks chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 175g/6oz chevre goats cheese salt and ground black pepper crotons to serve 1 Melt the butter over a low heat. Add the onions and celery, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add half the stock and bring to the boil. Add the calabrese and bring back to the boil again.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the calabrese is tender. 2 Let the soup cool a little, then add the goats cheese and blitz in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the pan and add the remaining stock. Reheat gently and season to taste with salt and pepper. 3 Ladle the soup into bowls, scatter with crotons and serve immediately.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 20 minutes

Serves 6

1 large onion, thinly sliced 25g/1oz/2 tbsp butter 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour 1 litre/1 pints/4 cups vegetable stock 1kg/2lb ripe tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste a few fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra to garnish 6 tbsp crme frache (optional) salt and ground black pepper 1 Fry the onion in the butter until golden brown.

Add the flour and cook gently for 1 minute, stirring. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the stock. Bring to the boil slowly and continue to cook, stirring, until thickened. 2 Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds into a sieve placed over a bowl. Press the seeds to remove all the tomato pulp and juice; discard the seeds and put the juice aside. 3 Stir in the tomato pure, herbs, tomatoes and juice.

Season to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. 4 Cool slightly, then blitz the soup in a blender. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan and reheat gently. 5 Ladle the soup into six soup bowls and swirl in the crme frache (optional).

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 40 minutes

Serves 6

1kg/2lb raw beetroot (beets) 2 onions, chopped 1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups vegetable stock 2 medium potatoes, diced juice of 1 lemon salt and ground black pepper 4 tbsp soured cream and chopped fresh dill to garnish 1 Peel the beetroot and grate them coarsely.

preparation 15 minutes cooking time 40 minutes

Serves 6

1kg/2lb raw beetroot (beets) 2 onions, chopped 1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups vegetable stock 2 medium potatoes, diced juice of 1 lemon salt and ground black pepper 4 tbsp soured cream and chopped fresh dill to garnish 1 Peel the beetroot and grate them coarsely.

Put them in a large pan with the onions, vegetable stock and seasoning. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue simmering for 15 minutes 2 Strain, discarding the vegetables, then add the lemon juice to the soup. Check the seasoning. Leave to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 45 minutes plus chilling

Serves 4

175g/6oz/1 cup red lentils 1.7 litres/3 pints/7 cups vegetable stock 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, diced 200g/7oz lean bacon rashers (slices), diced 1 x 200g/7oz can tomatoes 2 large potatoes, diced salt and ground black pepper 6 tsp pesto grated Cheddar cheese to garnish 1 Put the lentils in a large pan with the stock.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 45 minutes plus chilling

Serves 4

175g/6oz/1 cup red lentils 1.7 litres/3 pints/7 cups vegetable stock 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, diced 200g/7oz lean bacon rashers (slices), diced 1 x 200g/7oz can tomatoes 2 large potatoes, diced salt and ground black pepper 6 tsp pesto grated Cheddar cheese to garnish 1 Put the lentils in a large pan with the stock.

Add the onion, carrots, bacon, tomatoes and seasoning. 2 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 1 hour or until the lentils are soft. 3 Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. 4 Leave the soup to cool slightly, then sieve or blitz in a blender or food processor until smooth. 5 Reheat the soup in the pan.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves 6

50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1kg/2lb onions, sliced 1 tsp sugar 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour 200ml/7fl oz/ cup white wine 1.4 litres/2 pints/6 cups hot vegetable stock salt and ground black pepper 812 thick slices French bread (baguette) 50g/2oz Gruyre cheese, grated 1 Heat the butter and oil in a large pan.

preparation 10 minutes cooking time 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves 6

50g/2oz/4 tbsp butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1kg/2lb onions, sliced 1 tsp sugar 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour 200ml/7fl oz/ cup white wine 1.4 litres/2 pints/6 cups hot vegetable stock salt and ground black pepper 812 thick slices French bread (baguette) 50g/2oz Gruyre cheese, grated 1 Heat the butter and oil in a large pan.

Add the onions and cook over a very low heat, stirring frequently, until really soft and golden brown this takes at least 30 minutes. Add the sugar, garlic and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 2 Turn up the heat, add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the hot stock and seasoning. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. 3 Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

Next page