Polish Cold Carrot Soup with Orange Juice

Ingredients

• 6 medium carrots (14 oz, 400 g)
• 1 medium onion, white
• 3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (250 ml) orange juice, 100% or freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp orange zest, grated
• 3 tbsp almond flakes
• 3 tbsp raisins
• 1/2 cup (115-120 ml) whipping cream (30% fat or more)
• 1 tsp honey
• A pinch of herbal salt, to season (see notes for subs)
• White pepper, ground, to season
• 3-4 tbsp parsley leaves
• 3-4 tbsp nuts and seeds, e.g. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   If your raisins are on a large side,...: If your raisins are on a large side, slice them in half. Drop the raisins into a small bowl and soak in four tablespoons of orange juice.

2. 2

   Peel carrots and the onion, and chop them...: Peel carrots and the onion, and chop them roughly, dropping them into a cooking pot as you go. Pour chicken stock in and bring to a near-boil. Reduce the heat, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the veggies soften. Don’t put the lid on, let the stock evaporate as it cooks.

3. 3

   Once cooked, add in a teaspoon of honey,...: Once cooked, add in a teaspoon of honey, a generous pinch of herbal salt and a pinch of white pepper. Stir the seasoning in, and leave the soup to cool down.

4. 4

   Once cooled, use a blender to purée everything...: Once cooled, use a blender to purée everything together until smooth (to save tie on clean-up, I use an immersion blender. But you can use a regular food processor as well).

5. 5

   Push the puree through a fine mesh sieve,...: Push the puree through a fine mesh sieve, removing any remaining lumps.

6. 6

   Add the rest of the orange juice, grated...: Add the rest of the orange juice, grated orange zest, almond flakes and raisins we soaked in step 1. Stir everything together, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.

7. 7

   Before serving, whip half a cup of cream...: Before serving, whip half a cup of cream - by hand with a whisk, or using a mixer. If you need more guidance, here’s the BBC Good Food guide on How to whip cream.

8. 8

   Pour the soup into the individual bowls or...: Pour the soup into the individual bowls or soup plates. Gently fold in a portion of whipped cream into every soup portion.

9. 9

   Garnish with parsley leaves, and nuts & seeds...: Garnish with parsley leaves, and nuts & seeds of your choice. Serve straight away, while still cold.