Carrot & sweet potato soup

Well here I am back from a short break away in the midlands. Now when I say the midlands I actually mean the East midlands, well to be precise just outside of Derby in the Peak district and a great little break it was too. I would recommend the Peak district at the drop of a hat. Whilst away we enjoyed great vegetarian food  at a couple of vegetarian restaurants that I would definitely return too. One was at Cauldwell Mill in Rowsley, the other one was at Scarthin Book shop in Cromford. Fine tasty vegetarian food served up at both restaurants.

Now whilst I was checking the fridge yesterday I found some sweet potatoes along with an abundance of carrots, so the question was what to do with them? Charlotte said “well how about a soup”. Great idea I thought. So out with the recipe book and delve deep only to find Carrot & sweet potato soup. A truly lovely soup with a hint of curry and a lovely fruitiness.   

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Servings: 8                          Prep time 10 minutes                     Total Time: 45 Minutes

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, plus a bit more for serving
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 small), peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 8 cups Vegetable stock
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 eating apple
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add the curry powder and cook a minute more.
2. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, stock and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the apples and honey. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then puree in a blender in batches. Be sure to leave the hole in the lid open, and cover with a kitchen towel, to allow the steam to escape.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and more honey if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with more curry powder if desired. (Note: As the soup sits, it will thicken up so you may need to add a bit of water to thin it out.)
3.  Serve piping hot with fresh crusty bread.