LITMIR.BIZ

carrot and ginger soup

      A delicately flavoured soup with a beautiful colour.

       serves 4

      2tbsp olive oil

      1 onion, chopped

      450g/1lb/3¹/₄ cups carrots, scraped and sliced

      225g/8oz/1¹/₂ cups potatoes, peeled and diced

      1tsp grated fresh root

      ginger

      salt

      900ml/1¹/₂ pints/3³/₄ cups water

      freshly ground black pepper

      Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, ginger and a pinch of salt and fry, covered, for a further 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the water, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

      Purée the soup in a blender or food processor, then thin with a little extra water, if necessary. Return the soup to the cleaned saucepan, then season with salt and pepper.

      variation

      carrot, lime and coriander (cilantro) soup

      Follow the method, above, but replace the ginger with the zest of 1 lime, cut into long strips (if you do not have a zester, finely grate the zest). Flavour the puréed soup with the juice of the lime, adding it gradually and tasting until it is to your liking. Garnish with 2–3 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, 1 teaspoon of coarsely crushed coriander seeds and the lime zest.

leek and potato soup

       serves 4–6

      2tbsp olive oil

      3 leeks, sliced

      700g/1¹/₂lb/4¹/₂ cups potatoes, peeled and diced

      1 litre/1³/₄ pints/4¹/₃ cups water

      chopped fresh parsley, to garnish, optional

      Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and potatoes and cook gently, covered, without browning, for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables often to prevent them sticking to the pan.

      Add the water, stir, then simmer for 5–10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

      Purée in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir, and serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley, if using.

sweet red pepper soup with basil

      Peppers make a smooth, sweet soup, which is good served either hot or cold.

       serves 4

      1 onion, chopped

      1tbsp olive oil

      4 sweet yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1cm/¹/₂in dice

      2 garlic cloves, crushed (minced)

      225g/8oz/1¹/₂ cups potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm/¹/₂in dice

      900ml/1¹/₂ pints/3³/₄ cups water or light vegetable

      stock

      salt

      freshly ground black pepper

      juice of ¹/₂ lemon

      sprigs of fresh basil, optional, to garnish

      black peppercorns, coarsely crushed, to garnish, optional

      Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook, without browning, for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, garlic and potatoes. Stir well, then cover, and continue to cook gently for a further 5–10 minutes, taking care not to brown the vegetables.

      Add the water or stock, bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.

      Purée the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the cleaned pan, adjusting the consistency with extra water, if necessary. Reheat the soup and add the lemon juice, a tablespoonful at a time until it is how you like it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with a sprig of basil and a sprinkling of crushed peppercorns, if using.