Soup winners from around the world and of course right here at home - Soup is one of those super versatile and hearty foods that you can enjoy anytime for any meal. It can be fancy or simple and homely, either way, you’re sure to come away satisfied!

Soup can also be really healthy and nutritious which is a bonus.

Each country has its winning soup recipe with its own unique style and captures the countries flavours. 

Some examples of soups from around the world include that of:  

Minestrone soup hails from Italy and is commonly made with beans, onions, celery, carrots and tomatoes and often includes pasta. 

In China, hot and sour soup, includes a number of spices from ginger, white pepper and spicy chilli paste and has quite the zing. 

Spain is renowned for their Gazpacho soup, which is a cold, tomato-based soup typically combining such ingredients as cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. 

France and their French Onion Soup is simply delicious, caramelizing onions over a low heat until it gets to that sweet flavour and is quite brothy. Traditionally topped with a slice of French bread and grated gruyere cheese then broiled before serving. 

Miso Soup is the ultimate staple soup in Japanese cuisine. It's made with dashi broth mixed with miso paste. Along with dashi, miso is a traditional food that's one of the fundamental ingredients of Japanese cooking.

In India the national soup is mulligatawny soup. This is a fragrant recipe that is spiced with curry and made with creamy lentils, carrots, apples and coconut milk. 

Grilled chicken tortilla Mexican soup in recipe is loaded with filling toppings like grilled chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes and a tequila cream. Fast, flavourful, fun and filling! Can be served with fried tortilla strips 

Harira is the national soup of Morocco and is known to be a staple food eaten traditionally during the month of Ramadan, when the tomato-based soup is served with a side of dates and a honey-soaked sweet treat known as chebakya following a day of fasting. Filled with lentils and vermicelli noodles or rice to thicken the mixture, as well as chickpeas and a blend of fresh herbs and spices Its roots, however, spread across the North African region known as the Maghreb, of which Morocco is a part. 

Now here at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, the head culinary artist, Theo Mannie shares some local South African favourites that will definitely having you “heating up your kitchen for winter to keep the chill at bay. 

Artichoke Soup  

Ingredients

• 800g tined artichoke
• 3 white onions diced
• 100g butter
• 3 large potatoes roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 sticks of celery chopped
• 3l veg stock
• 100ml double cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a heavy based pot.
• Melt the butter on medium heat.
• Add the onions and celery and sauté until the onions become soft and translucent.
• Add the carrots, potatoes and garlic.
• Continue to cook for about 5 min.
• Pour in the stock, turn the heat up until it begins to rapidly boil, then turn it down till it becomes a gentle simmer.
• Once cooked for almost an hour with the lid off, add the artichokes minus the brine.
• Continue to cook for a further 15 min, adding more stock if needed.
• Remove from the stove and blend the soup until it is smooth.
• Pass the soup through a fine sieve.
• Once done. Heat up the soup with some cream, add salt and pepper to taste before you serve. 

Tomato & Apple Soup  

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ large yellow onion minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 5 large ripe soft tomatoes
• 2 large sweet apples peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon dill
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of Cayenne pepper
• pecorino cheese if desired and to taste

Method

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat.
• Add minced onion and garlic, and cook for few minutes, stirring often until onion is translucent.
• Add roughly chopped tomatoes and apples.
• Sprinkle with salt.
• Cook stirring often for 20 minutes until apples are tender.
• Pour in the boiled vegetable broth
• Bring all to a boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Puree in blender until very smooth.
• To serve, garnish the soup with grated cheese 

Coconut and Prawn Soup

Ingredients

• 400g raw prawns shells removed
• 400g coconut cream
• 2tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• 1 pinch of chili flakes
• 400ml thick cream
• 1tbsp cumin powder
• 1tbsp coriander powder
• 2tbsp turmeric
• 1tsp fish sauce
• 1tsp sugar
• 20g cucumber seeds removed and chopped
• 1 sprig of fennel stems removed 

Method

• In a sauce pan.
• Pour the coconut cream and heat up on medium heat.
• To this, add the cumin, coriander powder, chili and fresh coriander.
• Stir the mixture together until it has completely combined.
• Add the turmeric and stir before pouring in the cream.
• Once the sauce has thickened and it resembles a thick sauce, add the fish sauce and sugar at the same time.
• Cook for a further 2 min before introducing the prawns.
• Continue to cook on medium heat until the prawns have cooked through.
• Check the seasoning before serving.
• Garnish with the fennel. 

So, from the team at Granny Mouse, stay warm and if you can’t pop in to visit your “favourite Granny” in the Midlands and we will keep you hearty and snug with our hearty homemade soup recipes!