The sweetness and intensity of carrots comes out in earnest when they’re roasted and lightly caramelized. Something similar happens with onions and here the two unite with a hint of Moroccan spice mix ras al hanout and lemon juice, resulting in a hauntingly flavoured, beguiling soup. I’m packing some in my thermos flask to take on a walk, perfect reviver for these cold, damp days.
Serves 2-4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
750g carrot
2 large onions
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ras al hanout
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
1 litre boiling water
1 lemon
Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Trim and scrape the carrots and split lengthways unless very slim.Line up in a foil-lined, shallow roasting tin. Quarter the unpeeled onions lengthways and line up with the carrots or on their own foil-lined tin. Dribble both with a little olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, check the veg are almost soft. Dust the carrots with the ras al hanout and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Leave the veg to cool slightly then, tip carrots and skinned onion into the bowl of a food processor. Dissolve the stock cubes in boiling water from the kettle. Add the juice of half the lemon, the stock and ½ tsp salt to the veg and liquidize until completely smooth. If necessary, it shouldn’t be, pass the soup through a sieve into a saucepan. Simmer gently, stirring for 5 minutes, taste and add salt and/or lemon as you think fit. If it is very thick, add a little more stock.