Advent Calendar Day Nine

Carrot & Coriander Soup

This is my favourite soup recipe and I am sharing it with you as an Advent Gift - it is incredibly easy, very delicious and it only takes about half an hour to make.

Shopping List:
500g carrots
Approx 100g fresh coriander
2 medium size white onions
2 garlic cloves
2 pots stock jelly
300g tub low fat creme fraiche
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper



Method:
Chop the onion into small pieces and fry in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat - do not let the onion catch or over brown


While the onion is cooking, peel and grate the carrots, adding them to the pan with the onion as you do so, add the crushed garlic at this point too


Add the stock jelly, then add enough water to make sure the carrot and onion mixture doesn't stick and the jelly pots melt. Don't over do it on the water - you can always add more later. Add some salt and pepper.

Cook the mixture over a medium heat for about 10 minutes - add more water if you need to

Remove the thicker stalks from the coriander, wash it and then chop it into small pieces - if you don't have a great blender then you may need to chop this quite finely.


Add the coriander to the carrot and onion mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft. Again, you may need to add a little more water at this point. You need enough so that the vegetables form a pulp, but not so much that you cover them completely


Check that the vegetables are cooked through and are soft. Use a handheld blender to smooth the vegetable mixture or you can use a sieve at this point.

Add the creme fraiche and more salt and pepper to taste. Add more water if you want a slightly thinner soup consistency.
Stir and reheat the soup gently. Serve with crusty bread or on it's own.


The recipe above makes enough soup for 4 large bowls. The calorie count is approximately 200cal a bowl so long as you use low fat creme fraiche and the ingredients cost around £3 so it won't break the bank either - Enjoy!