Orange, Carrot & Kohlrabi Soup

This Orange, Carrot & Kohlrabi Soup is one I keep making again and again.

Tangy, vegan and citrusy - I fell in love with it a couple of years ago and have been making it ever since, with slight variations.

Kohlrabi and carrot go perfectly together - one slightly bitter, one very sweet - and the tang coming from the orange perfectly complements and balances the flavours in it.

Orange is a slightly unusual ingredient for a soup, but one of our most beloved ingredients in both sweet and savoury preparations in Sicily. I promise you’ll be surprised by how good this soup tastes.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped finely

• 1 stalk celery, chopped finely

• 5-6 carrots, one chopped finely and the others cut into medium chunks

• 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and diced into medium chunks

• 1 litre vegetable stock

• 1 orange zested and juiced

• A squeeze of lemon

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

• Chilli oil to drizzle on top (optional)

• Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pot and add the finely minced onion, celery and one carrot. Sauté until the onions become translucent. Add the remaining carrots, the kohlrabi, salt and stock and bring to a boil.

Next add all the spices, lower the flame to medium and cook, covered, until the carrots and kohlrabi are tender and can be pressed with a fork. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor and blend to a cream.

Return to the pan, add the orange zest and juice - 1 tbsp at a time, adjust according to your taste - add a squeeze of lemon and turn off the flame.

Drizzle some chilli oil if you like and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Word of the Day

Agrumi

(citrus fruits)