Name: Roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1.5 kg carrots, coarsely chopped; Finely grated rind and juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste; 110 ml olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes; 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 bunch Dutch carrots, trimmed, tops reserved for pesto; Carrot-top pesto; ¾ cup (firmly packed) carrot tops (as above); ½ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley; 50 gm pistachios; 50 gm parmesan, finely grated; 2 garlic cloves; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of ½; 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto

Recipe for roast carrot soup with carrot-top pesto.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

30M

Cook

Total

2H 30M

Ingredients

1.5 kg carrots, coarsely chopped

Finely grated rind and juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste

110 ml olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp dried red chilli flakes

1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

2 thyme sprigs

1 bunch Dutch carrots, trimmed, tops reserved for pesto

Carrot-top pesto

¾ cup (firmly packed) carrot tops (as above)

½ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley

50 gm pistachios

50 gm parmesan, finely grated

2 garlic cloves

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of ½

120 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Combine carrots, two-thirds of the lemon rind and 50ml oil in large bowl, season to taste and stir to coat. Spread in a single layer on baking trays lined with baking paper and roast, swapping trays halfway through cooking, until tender and browned on edges (1¼-1½ hours). Set aside.

2.For carrot-top pesto, process ingredients except juice and oil in a food processor until coarsely chopped then, with motor running, add oil in a steady stream and process to a fine purée. Season to taste and set aside. Just before serving stir in lemon juice to taste.

3.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic and chilli and sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Add stock, thyme, roast carrots and 50ml water, bring to the simmer and cook until carrots are well flavoured and very tender (15-20 minutes), then discard thyme. Purée with a hand-held blender until smooth, add lemon juice to taste and keep warm.

4.Meanwhile, combine Dutch carrots in a bowl with remaining lemon rind and remaining oil, season to taste and stir to coat. Spread on an oven tray lined with baking paper and roast until browned and tender (20-25 minutes). Serve piled on top of soup and drizzled with carrot-top pesto.