I love reading Nigel Slater's cookbooks because he connects the veggie patch and it's bounty with simple wholesome cooking. This warming Carrot Soup is a perfect example. Whilst the carrots may not come from my backyard, I like the way I can transform a bench laden with vegetables into such flavoursome and satisfying bowls of sunny colour in the midst of winter.
Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking 1 hour. Most of this is simmering on the stove and
stirring now and then.
Makes a lot. Freeze some in portion size containers. (Naturally, you could reduce amounts to make less but it does freeze well)
Ingredients
Splash Olive Oil
5 brown onions, sliced
5 cloves crushed garlic
2 kilograms carrots, peeled and
chopped. I like to pick up a bag of
bargain ‘juicing’ carrots
800 gram tin crushed tomatoes
½ red chilli, sliced. (leave out or add more to your taste)
Good amount freshly grated pepper
1 litre Salt – reduced Chicken Stock
Small handful red lentils
1 – 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
Extra water from a recently boiled kettle
Chopped parsley
Chunks of toasted crusty bread
Method
Use a very large deep pot (with a lid) because
you will be using a stickblender to moosh it up later and you don’t want an
orange splattery kitchen
Warm a little oil in the pot and soften the
onions, then add the garlic and chilli.
Add the carrots and allow them to cook and
steam to soften slightly.
Stir through the tomatoes, stock, pepper
and lentils.
Pop on the lid and let simmer for 40
minutes
Check the carrots with a knife to check
they are soft and cooked
Taste. Add a tablespoon of the soy
sauce. Taste again and if needed add
another tablespoon of soy if desired. Adjust the seasoning with extra pepper,
salt or soy if you want.
Allow to cool a little then use a
stickblender to moosh until smooth.
If it is too thick, add a little recently
boiled water and re-blend until desired consistency.
Options
Add some cubes of cooked chicken
Or
A tin of rinsed, drained corn kernels
Or
Stir through some chopped parsley or mint
or dill.
Serve with chunks of crusty bread
Enjoy! Colleen
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