CARROT SOUP WITH CHILLI CORIANDER PESTO

Carrot soup with chilli coriander pesto image

Warm up on a cold day with our carrot soup, spiked with ginger, garlic and curry powder. A dollop of chilli coriander pesto gives the soup an added kick

Provided by Esther Clark

Time 45m

Yield Serves 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

5 tbsp olive oil
2 onions , finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves , crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger , grated
4 tbsp mild curry powder
900g carrots , sliced
1.7l hot vegetable stock
large bunch coriander , chopped
30g pine nuts , toasted
1 small red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
40g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated
1 lemon , zested
crème fraîche and crusty bread, to serve (optional)

Steps:

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 7 mins. Add 2 of the garlic cloves, the ginger and curry powder and cook for 1 min more. Stir through the carrots and stock and cook, covered, for 15-20 mins or until the carrots are soft.
Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand blender until completely smooth. Season to taste and leave on a very low heat.
Tip the remaining 3 tbsp oil into a small food processor along with the coriander, remaining garlic, pine nuts and chilli. Whizz until smooth, then tip into a bowl and stir in the parmesan and lemon zest. If it's too thick, loosen with 1 tbsp water.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the pesto. Add a spoonful of crème fraîche and serve with bread, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 258 calories, Fat 16 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 17 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 14 grams sugar, Fiber 10 grams fiber, Protein 6 grams protein, Sodium 0.2 milligram of sodium