Carrot and Orange Soup

There might be a vegetable shortage on the way, but Abel & Cole’s carrot and orange supplies seem to be going strong. Mr Rice and I have been inundated with them over the last couple of months. Carotenosis threatened, so I froze them away week after week. The freezer was getting full though, so I decided to cook them all up into a delicious carrot and orange soup – which we will ration of course.

Recipe for Carrot and Orange Soup
1 onion
750g carrots
750ml vegetable stock
350ml milk
200ml creme fraiche
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp paprika
1-2 tbsp fresh coriander
rind and juice of 1 large orange
salt and pepper

Fry the chopped onion in a little oil and butter, then cover the pan and sweat for a few minutes. Peel and chop the carrots add them to the onions and stir well. Cover again and sweat the vegetables for about 10 minutes.
Then add the stock and stir well, followed by the spices, coriander and the orange rind and juice. Bring it to the boil and cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. It’s finished cooking when the carrots are really soft, and break easily when you stir it. Add the milk, stir well, let it cool a bit, then blend until as smooth as you like it, add salt and pepper to taste. Add a dollop of creme fraiche and reheat.

Serve with a swirl of creme fraiche, garnished with coriander leaves.

© Katheryn Rice 2007