Souper sides
It doesn’t get much better than readymade soup for supper – minimal prep, maximum comfort and very little washing up. But if your winter staple’s getting a little samey – or not quite hitting the spot – perhaps it needs a bit on the side to keep things interesting (and filling).
Garlicky stuffed rolls
Roast half a head of garlic, seasoned and drizzled with olive oil, at 200°C for 25 minutes. Fold 2 teaspoons chopped chives, 2 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon chopped sage and 1 teaspoon chopped oregano into 200g softened butter. Add 4 cloves of garlic and season. Make a shallow incision in the top of a roll, spread with the herb butter and bake for 10 minutes. Garnish with herbs. This butter is enough for six rolls.
Rotisserie chicken
You can get at least three meals out of one rotisserie chicken… we highly recommend shredding some up and adding it to a veggie soup for a bit of a protein boost. Use the leftovers to make chicken mayo sarmies for lunch. Then add the remains to a curry sauce. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
All things potato
Mashed, baked, smothered in cheese… the humble spud is the perfect match for a bowl of soup. Need an easy potato bake recipe? Preheat the oven to 180°C. Rub the inside of a baking dish with butter and crushed garlic. Layer thinly sliced potato, dot with butter, add a little cream and season. Repeat until dish is ¾ full. Add more butter and cream, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bake until soft.
Tempura green beans
Mix 200g tempura flour with 1 cup ice-cold water until smooth. Dip 400g (halve this for a single serving) green beans into the batter and deep-fry in batches in 2 cups hot vegetable oil for a couple of minutes. Drain on kitchen towel.
Frikkadels
Just another reason your freezer should always be stocked with frikkadels – they’re quick and easy to cook and one of the tastiest ways to beef up a bowl of soup.