ZAR - Basics are best - this weeks RECIPE

I thought I'd give you a very basic recipe this time. It's something I started making when I went on Weight Watchers. I still make it and eat it every afternoon as a snack and I love it because I know I'm getting a whole heap of vegetable goodness in one shot.

Basic Vegetable Soup

1 Spanish (red) onion
1 red capsicum (pepper)
1 green capsicum (pepper)
1 zucchini (courgette)
1 carrot
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 litre chicken stock (see notes below)
S & P

Chop all the veg except broccoli into small dice (bigger if you can't be bothered!) Sweat the onion over a medium heat in 1 tsp olive oil. Stir once. After 5 mins add the capsicum, zucchini and carrot. Sweat for 5 mins, stirring once. Add the tinned tomatoes, rinse the can out with a little water and add the water. Add the chicken stock and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. At the simmer, add the broccoli and turn off after 5 mins.
This makes 6 portions.
I like my veg a little crunchy, if you like them a little softer cook it for a little longer.
You can blend this soup if you're a smooth soup type of person! (Debate rages about this in the Bingham house, much like smooth or crunchy peanut butter - don't get me started!!)

Chicken stock
It's not that I have a problem with stock cubes or bought stock, I've just found they never make anything taste as good as real chicken stock and this couldn't be easier or cheaper.
Buy some chicken carcasses (about 4) from your butcher. If they don't have them in the fridges, ask for some.
Find a pan that will fit them in and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for an hour. Cool and drain and freeze in 1 litre bottles or freezer bags if you like. Always useful to have for risotto etc.
You can make less or more of this if you like, just use enough water to cover the carcasses. You can throw in scraps of vegies in too if you like to give even more flavour.