Carrot and Ginger Soup



Thanks to my daily commute in to London I am bombarded by cold germs through winter.  Sometimes it feels like every person on the train is coughing or sneezing.  This week it was me.  The healthy ones give the sickly ones a subtle look of derision.  Sizing each other up, should I sit next to you?  Are you going to cover your mouth when you cough?  Quite often, on packed trains there isn’t the luxury of choice.  You sit where you can or you stand.  Every time I have a cold, like the one I’m suffering with at the moment, I bust out this soup recipe.  It’s quick and easy to make when you can’t face much cooking.  Carrots are packed full of vitamin C and ginger is superb at easing congestion and mucus as well as being good for your digestive system.  This soup gives you a warm glow from the inside out, much like the ready brek kid. I’ve been making this soup for so many years I don’t know where the recipe came from.  I carry it around in my head.

Serves 1 (easily doubled, tripled etc.)

Olive oil for cooking

200g carrots, peeled, and chopped in to discs

1 shallot

250ml stock of your choice (I used gluten free chicken stock)

½ tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and finally chopped or grated.

In a saucepan sauté the shallot in olive oil for about 5 minutes until translucent.  Add the carrots and ginger and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.  Once the ginger is becoming fragrant add the stock.  Place a lid on the pan and simmer for 10 minutes then remove the lid and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the carrots are soft.  Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.  Once cool enough pour the soup in to a blender and blend until smooth.  Return the soup to the pan and reheat until piping hot.  Serve in your favourite bowl with toasted gluten free bread.