I know we say this every year, but this really does feel like the coldest winter ever.
Everyone’s go-to soup is veggie soup. And while it might seem a bit boring, using the right herbs and spices can take your dish to the next level.
Chef Ollie Swart, in collaboration with Cape Herb & Spice, has created a warm and spicy Mexican roast vegetable soup that’s perfect for the winter chill.
Swart earned his stripes at some of South Africa’s finest restaurants, including The Test Kitchen, the Pot Luck Club and La Colombe, enticing diners with his unique combinations of flavours and ingredients.
Shelley Barnard, from Cape Herb & Spice, says that when they undertook to find a chef to showcase their range of herbs and spices, they were looking for someone out of the ordinary and as excited about flavour as they are.
The collaboration also made perfect sense when the team heard Swart’s cooking mantra: “Keep it simple and hero quality ingredients.”
“It was important to us to find someone outside of the run-of-the-mill chef and foodie creators, and Chef Ollie checked all the boxes. He’s an incredible chef and manages to bring fun and a unique vibrancy to his food preparation – he’s a pleasure to watch and work with,” says Barnard.
Here’s Chef Ollie’s Mexican roast vegetable soup with chipotle tortilla chips recipe:
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 White onion, roughly chopped
1 Red onion, roughly chopped
4-5 Large tomatoes, halved, or 2 handfuls of rosa tomatoes
4 Courgettes, roughly chopped
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 Yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 Jalapeño green chillies, stems removed and roughly chopped
2 Sticks of celery, roughly chopped
5 Cloves garlic, peeled
2 Fresh bay leaves (optional)
80 ml Sunflower oil
1 tbs Cape Herb & Spice Taco Spice
1 tbs Cape Herb & Spice Chipotle Seasoning
1 tbs Cape Herb & Spice Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cape Herb & Spice Roast Veggie Seasoning
4 Cups vegetable stock
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Cobs of corn, kernels cut off
Tortilla chips
2 Flour tortillas
250 ml Sunflower oil
1 tsp Cape Herb & Spice Chipotle Seasoning
Cape Herb & Spice Seasoned Salt, to taste
Toppings: Sliced radish, sliced avocado, crème fraiche, lime wedges, coriander, chopped white onion, home-made tortilla chips dusted in chipotle.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Arrange the tomatoes, courgettes, red and yellow peppers, chillies, celery, white onion, red onion, bay leaf and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with sunflower oil and season with Cape Herb & Spice Roast Veggie Seasoning, Cape Herb & Spice Taco Spice and Cape Herb & Spice Chipotle Seasoning. Give the vegetables a massage.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, covered with tinfoil, and then take off the tinfoil and roast for a further 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred.
3. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (or put in pot and use a stick blender).
4. In a large pot, add the vegetable broth and blended vegetables. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, add the black beans and corn to the soup and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Tortilla chips
1. Heat a pan of oil to medium-high heat.
2. Cut the tortillas into 2cm by 2cm squares.
3. Fry the cut up tortilla chips in oil until brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, put them on kitchen towel and sprinkle with Cape Herb & Spice Chipotle Seasoning and Cape Herb & Spice Seasoned Salt. Toss to coat evenly.
4. Season with Cape Herb & Spice Salt and Pepper to taste.
Serve hot, topped with sliced radish, coriander, avocado, a dollop of crème fraiche, a squeeze of lime, chipotle tortilla chips and chopped white onion.