Some foods are so ingrained in your growing up that you don’t
even notice them. Wracking my brain a few St Patrick’s days ago, I couldn’t
think of any typical Irish/Northern Irish foods to make for the occasion. This would have been perfect, but for me it wasn't "traditional Irish fare" it was just what my mum used to cook for dinner in the winter.
So the other day I was really hankering for vegetable
soup. Proper vegetable soup. I had a quick look on the online grocery stores for the soup mix packs
which are ubiquitous in Northern Ireland. They basically have the mix of pulses
or a mix of the vegetables needed. I couldn’t find any, so I did what any
self-respecting Northern Irish girl would do – I called my mummy.
She knew what I needed, and I ended up buying the
ingredients individually. But all that means is I have enough dry ingredients for
so many future bowls of soup. Winner!
This is a very quick and simple dinner, all in you’re
talking an hour for it to cook (with one instance of overnight soaking) and you
can leave it to simmer away on its own for most of that.
I served mine like my mum does – with some shredded roasted chicken
and some wheaten bread. I made the bread while the soup was cooking, because
Irish bread is all about instant gratification – no rising time required.
makes 4 generous bowls of soup
