Carrot, Orange and Garlic Soup. (served with FGBP, pumpkin seeds and fresh rye and caraway bread.)
Serves 2.
This an incredibly cheap, easy and delicious soup! It’s particularly warming in these winter months and is lusciously creamy. If you’re not a garlic fan, sub in half of a yellow onion instead to make a just as tasty carrot and orange soup.
- 350g carrots (4 large carrots ~ish?);
- 500ml vegetable stock;
- 1 orange - juice and rind;
- 1 garlic clove;
- A drizzle of olive oil for the pan;
- Some milk - 100ml or so. (I used soya.)
1. Peel and top and tail the carrots, then roughly chop them in to bite size pieces. Mince the garlic.
2. Heat a large saucepan on a medium heat with the oil, then add the garlic and carrot, stirring to lightly coat. Leave for 3-5 minutes to soften slightly, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking. If this is the case, add a little more oil or some water.
3. Finely grate the rind of the orange, then slice the orange in half and squeeze the juice out of both halves. Add the rind to the carrot/garlic mixture, frying for another minute.
4. Add the vegetable stock to the pan and then leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until you can cut through a piece of carrot with relative ease. Add the orange juice at the last minute, then transfer everything to the blender and blend until smooth.
5. At this point, your soup will be quite thick. If you like it like that, then leave this step. If you want your soup to be creamier and thinner (and for it to go further), then heat up your choice of milk in the saucepan, transferring to the blender once warmed through and blend again.
6. Enjoy! Fresh parmesan would be lovely with this or a light, crisp spinach salad. If you’re as much of a garlic fiend as myself, then mix together some softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper and dried basil in a small dish then spread this over toasted bread to get very simply but effective garlic toast.
