This recipe involves carrots and not much else. Unlike most soups, there's no onion or garlic to provide a base, it's just carrots, olive oil and a few seasonings. Being such a pure and simple recipe, it's important to sauté the carrots vigorously – almost to the point of caramelisation – in order to extract the maximum flavour. Slice them thinly at an angle to expose more surface area when cooking, this will result in more flavour.

Carrot, Cumin and Coriander Soup Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • sea salt
  • 1 kg carrots, peeled and finely sliced
  • 4 pinches ground cumin
  • a squeeze of lime juice
  • 1 large bunch coriander, chopped

Method

  1. Place a large, heavy-based pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, in about 30 seconds, add the carrots along with a generous two-finger-and-thumb pinch of sea salt. Cook until almost caramelised, stirring occasionally. If you can't comfortably fit the carrots in the pan, do them in batches. When the carrots are almost done (half way through the last batch, if you're doing them in batches), add the cumin seeds.

  2. Crumble in the chicken stock cube and add enough water to just cover the carrots. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

  3. Remove from the heat and blend, using either a jug blender or a stem blender, until smooth. If it seems a bit thick, add more water. Taste and add more salt if you think it needs it (which it probably will if you've added more water). Add a squeeze of lime juice, and pour into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of cumin and some chopped coriander.