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Spiced carrot soup with lemon grass and coriander pesto crème

Name: Spiced carrot soup with lemon grass and coriander pesto crème
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil; 160g onions, diced; 160g leeks, white part only, chopped; 1kg carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped; ½ butternut, peeled and diced; 160g celery, coarsely chopped; 2 garlic cloves; 5ml (1 tsp) curry powder; pinch ground cinnamon; 50g fresh ginger, chopped; 1,5 litres chicken stock; 1 stalk lemon grass; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; juice of ½ lemon; 125ml (½ cup) crème fraîche; 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; CORIANDER PESTO CRÈME; 2,5ml (½ tsp) chilli flakes; 5ml (1 tsp) soy sauce; 50ml fresh coriander leaves on stalks; pinch of chilli flakes; 15ml (1 tbsp) coconut, freshly grated; 15ml (1 tbsp) sesame oil; 15ml (1 tbsp) pine nuts; lemon juice, Maldon salt and pepper, to season; sunflower oil

June 6, 2019 (Last Updated: April 11, 2019)

This hot and healthy vegetable soup will warm hearts this winter.

By Taryne Jakobi

Photograph by Vanessa Lewis

Print Recipe

Spiced carrot soup with lemon grass and coriander pesto crème

Serves: 8

Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
160g onions, diced
160g leeks, white part only, chopped
1kg carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ butternut, peeled and diced
160g celery, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves
5ml (1 tsp) curry powder
pinch ground cinnamon
50g fresh ginger, chopped
1,5 litres chicken stock
1 stalk lemon grass
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
juice of ½ lemon
125ml (½ cup) crème fraîche
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
CORIANDER PESTO CRÈME
2,5ml (½ tsp) chilli flakes
5ml (1 tsp) soy sauce
50ml fresh coriander leaves on stalks
pinch of chilli flakes
15ml (1 tbsp) coconut, freshly grated
15ml (1 tbsp) sesame oil
15ml (1 tbsp) pine nuts
lemon juice, Maldon salt and pepper, to season
sunflower oil

Instructions

Heat the oil in a medium pot and sauté the onion, leeks, carrots, butternut and celery until translucent. Add the garlic, curry powder, cinnamon and ginger and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the lemon grass and season. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the soup from the heat and transfer it to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Strain through a large sieve if necessary.

Add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm until serving.

To make the pesto, purée all the ingredients together, adding a little sunflower oil if the pesto is too thick.

Mix the crème fraîche with the parsley and season. Pour the soup into individual bowls, add a dollop of the crème fraîche mixture in the centre and drizzle with the pesto.