I am a bit under the weather and when I feel like this, I have no energy to cook, to be honest. However, my body craves nourishment and my last trip to the supermarket was prior to the storm and I vowed to myself I would use up my tinned food. My appetite is low so I try to prepare something light and quick which tastes yummy. This week I will share with you how to make fast soups from what you already have in stock or in the fridge.

At this time many of us want to use up what we already possess rather than return to the shops, which sadly and predictably are lacking in some produce, from what my mother and friends tell me. Up to the time I wrote this article prior to publication, there was no chicken, the favourite, Jamaican meat, in three different supermarkets. Hopefully this has changed by now. Anyway, I digress, can you tell I am craving chicken?

The wonderful thing about soups is that you can make one out of almost anything. Jamaicans love soup. Jamaica has produced great soups such as regular staples, gungo pea, pepperpot, red pea, beef and pumpkin. I would love to find out why soup is a popular Saturday meal; I must ask my grandmother about this local tradition.

Soup can be chowder-like, meaning thick, or as thin as a broth. It can be served hot or cold depending on the weather and occasion. It can be expensive or cheap to make depending on the ingredients. It is versatile enough to be a main course or a lovely introduction to a fancy meal at a restaurant or dinner party. It is the ultimate comfort food when you are feeling sick (nothing beats a good chicken soup when you have a nasty cold, and this is universal).

Your pantry or food cupboard should always have good quality stocks such as chicken, fish, vegetable or beef in cans or in bouillon cubes. I like to make my own stock and freeze it for when I am ready to use it as a base for soups or sauces. However, most people are too busy to do this and the former suggestions are more practical.

These soup recipes are for 4 servings and are international in flavour but easy to make from what you already have.

Hot and Cool Green Pea Soup: I name my green pea soup the above because the heat of the pepper makes it spicy whereas the mint cools the palate. Many of us have some variety of mint bushes in our gardens. You will need, 1 onion, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 small green jalapeno or Scotch Bonnet pepper, deseeded and finely chopped, 2 cans or 1 bag of frozen green peas, 1 litre vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons chopped mint plus 1 extra for garnish and plain cream or evaporated milk to finish. In a large pan, melt butter and sauté onion, garlic and hot pepper until soft and translucent for roughly 4 minutes and add green peas, stock and season to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 more minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of mint and purée in food processor. Ladle into bowls and add a dollop of cream or drizzle of evaporated milk and sprinkle with the rest of chopped mint. This is great with garlic bread or French bread.

Sweetcorn Soup with Tuna and Tomato Toasts: For some reason or other, tuna and sweet corn is a popular combination in the UK. You find it in sandwiches or as a baked potato topping. Here, I make a plain corn soup and serve it with toast topped with tuna and tomatoes for a filling supper. For the soup you will need 2 cans of sweet corn, 1 litre of chicken stock and 100ml of cream. Slowly simmer stock and corn until it reaches boiling point, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes until corn is tender. While this is cooking, roughly chop 2 tomatoes and 1 sweet pepper and mix with two cans of tuna. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add some chopped basil.

Toast some bread and top with tuna mixture. When the soup is finished, purée in a blender but allow some chunkiness for texture. Add cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle in bowls and serve with tuna toasts.

Curried Chickpea Soup: I love chickpeas. During my vegetarian phase, I lived on them in soups, salads, fritters, as hummus, you name it, I found a way to prepare it. You will need: 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, minced, l large carrot, chopped, 1 tablespoon of curry powder (your choice, madras, garam masala, Jamaican blend), 1 can of tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato purée, 2 cans of chickpeas, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, l litre of either vegetarian or chicken stock. In 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat, sauté onion, carrot and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes, add curry powder and tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, stock and chickpeas then bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked through about 6 more minutes. For this soup, I like a bit of chunkiness, so I purée half the mixture for creaminess and add it back to the rest of the soup. Sprinkle on cilantro and serve immediately. This is lovely with wholewheat pita bread.

Bon Appétit!!

Jacqui Sinclair is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef/food stylist & hotelier. She has worked in the world of food photography and film in Europe. A bon vivant, she is passionate about sharing her food secrets with enthusiastic home cooks.