Carrot & coriander soup

Do you remember being wee and having things on pedestals that, well, you just wanted?

I don’t know if it was because they seemed exciting, or just weren’t things that were everyday in your house, but totally normal items could seem impossibly exciting when you were were small.

One of those things, for me, was cartons of Covent Garden soup.

I just loved the idea of it. Maybe it was the fact that the cartons did not divide easily between five people. Maybe it was the tetrapak packaging, which seemed so much more like something from that there exciting America than a boring old tin of tomato. Maybe it had something to do with the exotic flavours, like coriander.

I particularly loved the carrot and coriander, see.

And when I went to university and a special offer on Covent Garden coincided with the first few weeks after loan day, I feasted like a queen.

And then I learned to make my own, and it is delicious, so here is the recipe. Although next time you see a tub of Covent Garden in my trolley, you’ll know exactly why it is there.

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To be completely honest, I made this soup today. I know this page isn’t going to be published for a while, but I made this soup on a day full of low level whinging from pretty much everyone in this sodding house.

And it was delicious.

Even the dog was whinging.

In fact, especially the dog was whinging.

I ranted and raved and grabbed some carrots and took out my frustration on a peeler.

Which is a phrase with more than one meaning in Belfast.

I promise it was a vegetable peeler.

I didn’t have the energy to go and find a member of the police service.

Anyway, after that I hacked the carrots into surprisingly neat chunks, given my mood. 

I mean my mood wasn’t THAT bad, to give me some credit, but I really could not be arsed to be at sodding soup making.

Or being an adult generally.

I then melted some butter into a saucepan…

And added some dried coriander.

Then I turfed in the carrots…

And squeezed in some garlic.

I put a lid on, and let that cook for 15 minutes. This step is worth it mainly because it slightly roasts the carrots, rather than just boiling them, which makes for a deeper, richer flavour in the end soup.

Those 15 minutes are also perfect for a calming cup of coffee, which today was exactly what I needed.

Then you add some stock, but I am lazy and always just turf in a stock cube and some water.

Cook that for 10 more minutes…

The throw it in a blender. i have no idea why this picture makes the soup look like an egg, but somehow look like an egg it does.

Sorry about that.

Do you want to low level whinge at me?

It is the day for it.

Blend the soup up and taste it to see if it needs more salt. If it tastes like it is lacking in something, it needs more salt.

Believe me.

Serve, and rejoice in the deliciousness. Give thanks that you found it deep within to make some sodding soup. Generally, it is worth it.

And for the days it isn’t, there is Covent Garden.

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