A slightly odd recipe for potato soup.

I was trying to make something edible out of the oddiments in my parents' pantry this afternoon. The only thing I could really come up with was potato soup. So I threw a whole bunch of tins in the slow cooker (crock pot). Admittedly making soup in the middle of the South African summer is a little odd in itself, but what is even more odd is that when I came to blending the whole lot, I felt it desperately needed dill, which I didn't have. So what did I do? I put the liquid from a jar of gherkins (pickles) through a tea strainer and added that. It was quite a success. Of course adding normal chopped dill will work just as well, but you won't be recycling your pickle water.

A Little Odd Potato Soup (serves 6)

6 medium potatoes unpeeled, well washed, cubed
1 large yellow onion cubed 
1 tin baked beans in tomato sauce
1 tin whole kernel corn drained and rinsed
500ml  vegetable stock
2T tahini
1/2C strained "pickle water" or fresh dill to taste
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Put the potatoes, onion, beans, corn and stock in the slow cooker until the potatoes are soft. Blend (I use a hand held upright mixer). Add the tahini and "pickle water". Season with salt and pepper. The texture of this soup is not smooth because of the corn and beans.You could make this on the stove top, lightly fry the potato and onion first and use iL of stock.

I always add beans to my soups, it gives them a creamier texture and ups their protein and vitamin content. Baked beans are an excellent vegan protein source, are low GI and are loved by kids. Just check the sugar and sodium content of different brands.