DINNER: COMFORT SOUP

This soup is ever evolving, it is based on Stephanie Alexander's Carrot and Orange soup from this book, and it is a great dish to make when you are feeling a bit run down. We all have that comfort food that we eat when we are sick, for me it is making a big batch of this soup, pots of ginger, peppermint and lemon tea and Vegemite on toast. Those three things get me through every time. So over the years I have added more ingredients, taken a few out and have turned this soup into one that will not only help you through the sniffles but hopefully keep them away too!

This soup requires no stock so do not freak out with the amount of salt that you end up using, I usually add about 3 teaspoons but I would recommend starting out with one and then gradually adding another teaspoon, tasting as you go. You could use stock but I find it overpowers the ginger and also the subtle sweetness you get from of the orange. The tomatoes were a last minute decision that I am pleased with, I just threw in a mixed handful of cherry and roma tomatoes that I had harvested from my sister's vegetable garden (it seems she has inherited our father's green thumb). I don't bother blanching and removing the tomato skins and all that nonsense, I have no qualms with little bits of tomato skin plus it's going to be all shjoozed up in the blender.

Serve this soup with fresh sourdough bread slathered in butter, toasted garlic soldiers or even a few fritters. We slurped up leftover soup the following night with some sweet corn and coriander buckwheat fritters- they worked a treat. That's nearly all your serves of veggies and fruit in one meal- BOOM! Clémentine enjoyed a few spoonfuls of the soup over some spaghetti too, at first I thought gross but it actually worked quite well and she hoovered it....so who cares!

CARROT GINGER ORANGE AND TOMATO SOUP

if you would like to boost the orange flavour then add some of the zest when you add the ginger.

serves 6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium or 1 large leek, washed and sliced

6 medium or 4 large carrots, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

juice of an orange

handful of parsley, chopped

handful of tomatoes, roughly chopped

1-3 teaspoons salt

pepper to taste

Fill the kettle and boil.
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan or french oven.

Add the leeks and stir to coat with oil.

Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 5 mins until they start to soften.

Add the carrots, stir and cover the pan again and cook for a further 10 mins, checking occasionally that the leeks are not browning.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the orange juice and enough hot water from the kettle to cover the vegetables.

Bring to the boil then simmer covered until the carrots are tender.
Pour the soup into a blender or using a stick blender carefully blitz the soup until you get a smooth consistency (if the soup is too thick add some water from the kettle or if too runny place over low heat and let it reduce down).
Add 1 teaspoon of salt and taste, add more if needed.
Season with pepper and serve.