I've come back from a brief trip back to London with what might be described as the worst cold of my life. Not the worst illness, really, but the worst common cold, in that it's come complete with fevers and has lasted for nearly a week now. Faced with a stack of reading for my classes this week, I wasn't feeling terribly enthusiastic.
But one of the perks of life as a doctoral student is that I really needn't worry too much about being ill - my job is to stay home all day, read a bit, write a bit, and generally stare into space. I've cultivated a routine of reading one text, watching something on 4oD, then maybe having a potter about the kitchen before going back to a bit more reading. Not exactly strenuous stuff. So in aid of recuperation I used one of those breaks to make this soup.
I wouldn't normally make carrot soup. It's kind of run of the mill and I am a bit sick of eating it, if I'm honest, but this one was exactly what I needed today. It's really bright with ginger and crisp carrot, a hint of spice from some chili, and a light bit of sweetness from honey. I threw parsley in because I was convinced it would help along the healing process - and because I really like parsley, but you can take it or leave it. Might also be nice with a bit of crouton or yogurt.
*****
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
5 large carrots or so, chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of dried chili
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 tsp. honey, for serving
1. Heat a bit of oil in your pot and fry off your onion, garlic, and ginger. Toss in your carrots, and continue to cook for about two minutes. 2. Pour over your stock, taking care to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and bring to a simmer. Add your saffron and chili, season to taste, and simmer for about twenty minutes. 3. Once your carrots are quite soft, blend to a smooth consistency using a stick blender or transfer ladle by ladle to a blender. Reheat the pureed soup gently and serve with a drizzle of honey.
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