Use it Up! Fun Ways to Use Your Produce Box
Winter Warmer : Easy Wombok Soup
Not sure what to make with what you’ve got? If you’re staring at a fridge full of the usual veggie box staples and feeling uninspired, you’re in the right place. These recipes are built around commonly received fruit & vegetables, with easy but creative ideas to turn them into filling meals, snacks, and extras you can use throughout the week.
This is a great use-what-you-have veg box recipe: light, warming and packed with vegetables. Wombok becomes beautifully soft and sweet as it cooks, while carrot, onion and cabbage give the broth plenty of flavour. Add some finely sliced sweet potato or pumpkin when you want to turn it into a more substantial meal.
Serves: 4–6
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Ingredients
½ Wombok (Chinese cabbage), roughly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
add 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine if you have it on hand
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional veg box additions:
½ sweet potato, sliced very finely
A wedge of pumpkin, sliced very finely
Spring onions, fresh chilli, ginger or any fresh herbs you have on hand
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften. If you have garlic add it now and cook for another minute.
Add the hard vegetable such as carrot and, if using, the finely sliced sweet potato or pumpkin. Cook for another 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the stock, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the firmer vegetables are nearly tender.
Stir through the wombok. Simmer for another 8–10 minutes, until everything is tender but the cabbage still has a little texture.
Stir through the seasonings : soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking wine. Taste and add a little salt, pepper or extra soy sauce if needed.
Serve hot, topped with sliced spring onion, fresh herbs or chilli if you have them.
Make it a meal
This soup is very flexible. Add noodles or serve with cooked rice for a filling family dinner, or you could add shredded cooked chicken, tofu or a beaten egg for extra protein.
Veg box tip: Don't worry if you don't have exactly the right quantities. Wombok, cabbage, carrot, pumpkin and sweet potato can all be increased or reduced depending on what needs using up. The trick with pumpkin and sweet potato is to slice them quite thinly so they cook quickly with the other vegetables.
