Carrot and Orange Soup

There is nothing nicer on a cold day that a nice bowl of soup to warm you up. Home made soup is so much nicer than tinned. I think there is something about having made it yourself that gives you a sense of achievement. Carrot and orange soup is one of those combinations that sounds like it could not possibly work. I discovered it a while ago when we were out for dinner one evening. It is a sophisticated soup, the tang of the orange perfectly complements the softness of the carrot and is a nice surprise to the palette.

I did some experimenting and came up with a combination that works really well. You can easily add more or less orange juice to suit your taste. A garnish of mint and a swirl of cream adds a sense of adventure and sophistication to the soup. The soup is really easy to make and could be made ahead of time allowing you to serve it as a starter to a Sunday lunch or at a dinner party.

Carrot and Orange Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• One large onion
• 8 carrots
• 1 clove of  garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 orange
• 1 litre vegetable stock

Method

Ingredients

1. Peel and chop the onion into small pieces. Peel the garlic and cut into small slices.
2. Peel the carrots and chop into bits.
3. Add the olive oil to a pan and warm.  Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until soft
4. Zest the orange using a grater and add the carrots and zest to a pan with the onions
5. Cook for a further ten minutes stirring gently then add the stock to the pan.
6. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 45 minutes until the carrots are really soft.
7. Add the mixture to a food processor and blend until the soup is smooth.
8. Put back in the pan and add the juice from the orange. Season with black pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread for a gorgeous starter.

Read more:

• Minestrone Soup Recipe
• Goulash Soup
• Halloween Pumpkin Soup