Simply soup-erb!

There’s nothing that better beats the winter blues, and often bulge, than a delicious bowl of home-made soup! Generally a ‘one pot wonder’, ready in less than an hour and in most instances quite healthy – what more could you ask for on those lazy winter evenings? Recipes by Chris Black of the Aubergine and Bellevue Cafe . All pictures by Dave Macleod/Gameplan Media.

Jerusalem Artichoke Veloute
*Serves 4

Ingredients:
1kg Jerusalem artichokes; 2T butter; 1T freshly crushed garlic; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1T fresh thyme; 300ml milk; 1.2l chicken stock; 16 snails (tinned); beetroot micro-greens to garnish.

Directions

Peel and finely chop the artichokes. Over a low heat saute artichokes in butter with garlic, salt, black pepper and thyme for 5 minutes until they begin to caramelise. Add milk and chicken stock, simmer until the artichokes have softened. Liquidise with a hand blender until you have a smooth consistency, which will also begin to froth the soup. In a separate pan saute snails in butter until lightly crispy. Serve soup garnished with snails and beetroot micro-greens.

Chef Chris Black prepares butternut soup with lamb ravioli

Roast butternet soup with lamb ravioli

Ingredients: Soup
2kg peeled, chopped organic butternut; 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped; 1 heaped tablespoon fresh garlic; 1 heaped tablespoon freshly grated ginger; 1.5l chicken stock; 500ml cream; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Lamb pasta ravioli
200g plain flour; 2 eggs; 3 egg yolks; salt and pepper to taste; 1T olive oil; 250g left-over lamb casserole.

Directions

In a 180° C oven roast butternut for 40 minutes. Saute butternut, carrots, onions, rosemary, garlic and ginger for five minutes until soft. Add chicken stock and cream and season to taste. Liquidise soup mixture until you reach a smooth consistency.

To make the lamb ravioli: On a flat surface pile the flour and make a well in the centre. In the centre pour two whole eggs and only two egg yolks, salt, pepper and a splash of olive oil. Mix together with your hands until you create a ball of dough. Knead for 15 minutes until elastic and springy.

Taste sensation: Roast Butternut soup with lamb ravioli

Feed dough through a pasta machine until your pasta fits through the number 5 measurement. Lay out sheet of pasta and cut into small rectangles.

Cool and shred left-over lamb from a lamb casserole with a fork. Fill one side of each portion with lamb casserole mixture. Brush edges with the remaining egg yolk. Close and seal ravioli by pressing down edges with a fork.

Add uncooked ravioli to a pot of boiling water and poach for 4 minutes or until they have risen to the surface of the water. Drain pasta and set aside.

In each portion serve 2 ravioli along with the butternut soup.

All ingredients available at Pick n Pay. Photography by Dave Macleod/Gameplan Media