Carrot & Coriander Soup

Finally some time at home and an opportunity to nip down to the shops and buy a few things of a nourishing persuasion. A sore throat and runny nose dictates I eat only that which is smooth, warming and a bit healthy. Oddly, this soup wasn't available back-stage at any of the venues we visited over the past week. Somehow I think it will probably never be on the menu.

It's simple, healthy and above all else, really tasty.

Ingredients:

Carrots (about 6 good sized)
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Pint / 2 Cups Water
1 tbsp Fresh Coriander, Finely Chopped
Salt & Black Pepper To Taste

To Make It:

• Top and tail the carrots with a sharp knife. Wash under cold running water using a new scouring pad. Cut into equal sized pieces, about the size of your thumb.
• Peel 3 cloves garlic, cutting each in 1/2 length-ways.
• Steam the carrots and garlic with a little black pepper until soft (about 25 mins or so).
• Heat water to just under boiling point with 3 or 4 whole black pepper corns added. Remove from the heat, discard the pepper corns and cover the pan.
  
• Blend the carrots, garlic and coriander along with about 1/2 the water, until completely smooth.
  
• Return to the pan containing remaining water, heat and stir, seasoning to taste.

A couple of notes:

• Optionally add a little cream to richen the soup.
• Be aware that fresh coriander is strong in flavour, you may want to add less than I do.
• Coriander is called Cilantro in the U.S.

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