CARROT & SWEET POTATO SOUP

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CARROT & SWEET POTATO SOUP

Spring is just around the corner but there's still a chill in the air, so we made a hearty carrot and sweet potato soup to warm up body and soul. 

Dad's Cuisine - Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

When discussing what kind of soup Dad would like apart from tomato, he eagerly requested "brown soup". I would love to give you the recipe for brown soup but I have no idea what this could possibly be. Is it minestrone? Oxtail? Apparently Mum and Dad knew exactly what they were talking about when they decided to have "brown soup" for dinner.

 This frustrating lack of information gave me a peek into my parents' relationship, and reminded me of my own relationship with my husband. Over the years a couple develops a code, a sort of shorthand that will sound like gibberish to anyone else, but will make perfect sense to the two people involved. It is a great comfort to know that there is someone in the universe who will always understand you, even when you sound like a crazy person to the rest of the world.

 Brown soup is a testament to my parents' bond as a couple. Theirs was a strong, stable marriage. Like a lot of couples, they could bicker over some of the most trivial issues. But they would talk for hours on end about their days in sixties London, and always faced the challenges of life head on and side by side.

 So I'm afraid I can't give you the recipe for brown soup, but here's a hearty recipe for orange soup instead. This carrot and sweet potato soup is incredibly filling and is great for freezing. I told Dad not to bother making his own stock; shop-bought stock is just fine considering all the other ingredients are fresh. Add some chopped chives and a dollop of cream to serve, or if you're feeling a bit naughty, some grated cheddar cheese goes down a treat.
Dad's Cuisine - Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with chopped chives and cream
CARROT & SWEET POTATO SOUP

 1.5  litres of stock
1 kilo of carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 red onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic
1 stick of celery
1 tsp sugar
Pinch of paprika
Salt & pepper
1 tsp chopped chives (optional)
1 tbsp cream (optional)

 Fry the onion, garlic and celery in some olive oil over a medium heat until the onion is almost tender. Add all the ingredients to a saucepan of stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft. Use a hand blender or food processor to get rid of any lumps, add some cream and chopped chives and serve immediately with some crusty bread.

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