It is a bright sunny day out there today, but it is still really cold. Soup weather continues. I had spied a lovely looking carrot & potato soup recipe on a page called The Clever Meal and I was keen to make it. It looked really delicious.
Carrots & Potatoes are two of my favorite vegetables. Not only that, but this looked like a very economical soup to make. Quick, economical and delicious. A trifecta of must have's in today's very volatile economy. It seems like every time I go to the store, everything has gone up a dollar. I'm not kidding!
Any way that I can save money and still eat well is a plus for me!
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1-pound (450g) carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1-pound (450g) potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- coarse black pepper and sea salt or kosher salt to taste
- 2 1/2 cups (600ml) vegetable stock
- fresh parsley to garnish
Notes
TO FREEZE: Ladle the soup into suitable freezer containers. Cover tightly, label and freeze for up to six months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Gently reheat in a saucepan on the stove. You may need to add a bit of hot stock.
This soup will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for three to four days. It may thicken but just add a bit of hot stock to thin it out to your desired consistency.
For all of the simplicity of its ingredients this was a deliciously filling and hearty soup. I enjoyed a nice big bowl of it along with some toasted and buttered sour dough bread. It went down a real treat!
I would make this soup again. I am sure you could easily cut the recipe in half if you wished to, but I have never found it a bad thing to have individual servings of soup frozen, ready to take out and reheat when you are in need of a delicious meal but don't have a lot of time to cook!

Carrot & Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1-pound (450g) carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1-pound (450g) potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- coarse black pepper and sea salt or kosher salt to taste
- 2 1/2 cups (600ml) vegetable stock
- fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened without browning. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 top 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, herbs and some seasoning. Give everything a good stir, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover tightly.
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Leave to cool slightly. Remove 1 cup of the soup and blitz carefully in a blender until smooth. Stir back into the soup. (Alternately you can use a stick blender and just blitz for a few seconds. You want some smooth and some chunky.)
- Reheat gently. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
TO FREEZE: Ladle the soup into suitable freezer containers. Cover tightly, label and freeze for up to six months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Gently reheat in a saucepan on the stove. You may need to add a bit of hot stock.
Did you make this recipe?
I have often made meat swirls, using leftover roast beef, gravy, etc. but this was the first time I had made a ham one. They turned out really nice! I was very pleased with the end result.
I should have only eaten one of these, but I couldn't stop myself from enjoying a second one. I guess I got a bit greedy with it. I did cut my recipe in half to make only four for this house, sending half of them next door. Its a good thing. They were so tasty I don't think I could have prevented myself from picking at a third.
Oh, I am such a naughty person when it comes to things like this. I have no self-control. Sigh . . .
- 2 cups (223g) self-raising flour (See notes)
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 3/4 cup (180ml) cold buttermilk
- 3/4 pound (340g) cooked ham, diced
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (55g) full fat mayonnaise
- 3 TBS (47g) Dijon mustard
- 2 TBS sweet pickle relish
- 1 TBS grated raw onion
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground all spice
- 1 cup (120g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 very thin slices butter
Notes
You can easily make your own self raising flour. For each cup needed (112g) whisk in 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.
You can also make your own buttermilk. One way is to add a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with whole milk to 3/4 cup (180ml). Leave to clabber for 5 minutes.
My preferred way is to whisk together equal amounts of full fat plain yogurt and whole milk to make up the measure needed.

Ham Filled Buttermilk Biscuit Swirls
Ingredients
- 2 cups (223g) self-raising flour (See notes)
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 3/4 cup (180ml) cold buttermilk
- 3/4 pound (340g) cooked ham, diced
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (55g) full fat mayonnaise
- 3 TBS (47g) Dijon mustard
- 2 TBS sweet pickle relish
- 1 TBS grated raw onion
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground all spice
- 1 cup (120g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 very thin slices butter
Instructions
- First make the filling. Put your ham into the bowl of a food processor and blitz several pulses until coarsely chopped.
- Drop in the butter and blitz again, pulsing until the ham is finely chopped and the butter has been thoroughly mixed in.
- Scoop the ham into a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients, combining all well together. Cover and chill while you make the dough.
- Measure the flour into a bowl. Drop the cold butter bits into the flour and cut in using two round bladed knives or a pastry blender. You want a mixture that resembles coarse meal with some large bits as well as small bits.
- Stir in the buttermilk with a fork to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently a couple of turns.
- Pat out into a rectangle roughly 8 inches by 12 inches in size. No more than 1/3 of an inch thick.
- Spread the ham filling over the dough to cover, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one short end. Sprinkle with cheese and roll up tightly, pressing the empty border firmly against the roll to close.
- Preheat the oven to 425&F/230*C/gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Cut the dough crosswise into 8 rounds. Place onto the baking sheet, pressing down very lightly with the palm of your hand. Top each with a very thin slice of butt.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
You can easily make your own self raising flour. For each cup needed (112g) whisk in 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.
You can also make your own buttermilk. One way is to add a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with whole milk to 3/4 cup (180ml). Leave to clabber for 5 minutes.
My preferred way is to whisk together equal amounts of full fat plain yogurt and whole milk to make up the measure needed.
Did you make this recipe?
- 1 skin-on chicken breast quarter (wing attached)
- 1 whole lemon, cut into slices
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into half moons
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- your favorite chicken seasoning
- 1 TBS butter or oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
- 1/3 cup (60ml) chicken stock

Cast Iron Roast Chicken Quarter
Ingredients
- 1 skin-on chicken breast quarter (wing attached)
- 1 whole lemon, cut into slices
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into half moons
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- your favorite chicken seasoning
- 1 TBS butter or oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
- 1/3 cup (60ml) chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. I used an 8-inch iron skillet.
- Place the onions and lemon slices in the bottom of the skillet. Scatter the minced garlic over top.
- Rub your chicken breast quarter with some oil or butter. Place into the skillet on top of the onions, lemons and garlic. Sprinkle generously with your desired chicken seasoning.
- Pour the white wine and the chicken stock into the skillet around the chicken.
- Roast in the preheated oven, basting occasionally with the pan juices for 35 to 40 minutes. When done the juices will run clear and the chicken should be golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, tent lightly and leave to rest for 10 minutes before, slicing to serve. Some of the pan juices can be spooned over top if desired.
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