Carrot and caraway soup

Kieran Scott

This recipe comes from Aaron Brunet's book Cook with Me – Recipes for enjoying every day.

Ingredients

3 tsp	Caraway seeds
1 ½ Tbsp	Canola oil
3	Red onions, finely chopped
8	Carrots, chopped (Main)
2 cups	Water, boiling
1 ½ cups	Stock, use water left over from boiling potatoes
½ cup	Red lentils
½	Oranges, zest of
3	Oranges, juice of
1 tsp	Lemon juice
½ tsp	Salt
¼ tsp	White pepper
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 pot	Creme fraiche, for serving
1 handful	Parsley, and mint, chopped, for serving

Directions

1. Toast the caraway seeds in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on a medium heat for about 1 minute, then add the oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes on low to bring out the sweetness.
2. Add the carrot, liquids and red lentils and simmer for at least 25 minutes until the carrots are soft.
3. Put half of the soup into a blender and pulse until fairly smooth. Use a potato masher to mush the rest of the soup, so that the lumps are broken up but you can still tell that the carrots are carrots.
4. Add the smooth portion back to the pan and reheat. This is when you can start adding the citrus and extra salt, pepper and olive oil. Taste as you go, and just add as much of these as you think suits. This is especially important because carrots, oranges and lemons can all vary so much in taste due to variety and season.
5. I like this soup served with a dollop of crème fraîche and chopped parsley and mint. Ideally have a chunk of sourdough handy to dip in the soup as you eat it.