Citrus Burst Carrot & Butternut Soup

Wait a minute! Didn't I just post an Indian Carrot Soup recipe a few days ago? Yup, guilty as charged. You don't even need to bring the warrant of arrest, just show me the handcuffs and I'll step forward willingly to accept my fate.

But what's a poor blogger to do when she still has a load of carrots left in her freezer? And in the meantime our pantry of freebies has also grown to include butternut, potatoes and sweet potatoes. I swear we don't go begging, these things just find their way into our home. Perhaps because we are so likeable? Or more likely because our benefactors didn't have a clue what to do with the mounds of veggies in their cupboards... And so they passed the buck. (Yes I'm looking at you MIL)

But fear not! Because I bring you Carrot Soup: Round 2. Which also, conveniently, includes butternut. Will there be a round three? Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnnnnn.

Okay all jokes aside though, this soup was truly phe-no-me-nal. Yes, I know I said that about the last one, but you want the truth? That previous carrot soup is no match for this one. There I said it. I'm sorry Indian Carrot Soup, but you just don't have that x-factor. Okay you might have the x-factor, but this one? It has the x, y and z factors. 

The citrus and especially the complex notes from the preserved lemon* gives a lovely twang to this otherwise rather ordinary rendition of carrot and butternut soup. And the toasted seeds on top? Heavenly bits of crunch. I think all soups should have toasted crunchy bits on top. Don't  you?

* Disclaimer: I might be slightly biased as I'm a recent preserved lemon convert & addict. I have to stop myself from eating it from the jar. True story.

Citrus Burst Carrot & Butternut Soup

Adapted from Running with Tweezers

Serves 6 - 8 as starter

(Serves 4 as main meal)

7 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 butternut, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 large onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves (whole)

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

1 tsp (5 ml) salt

3 cups water 

1 tbsp (15 ml) honey

6 tbsp (90 ml) orange juice

6 tbsp (90 ml) lemon juice from jar of preserved lemons*

1/4 preserved lemon, finely chopped*

3 tbsp (45 ml) sesame seeds

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) cumin seeds

finely grated zest from one orange

yoghurt, to serve (optional)

1. Arrange carrots, butternut, onion and garlic cloves in an oven roasting tray. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil, then place in oven at 180C to roast for 30 minutes. Vegetables should be soft at this stage.

2. Add all the veggies to a blender, including the garlic which you've squeezed out of it's skins, add a little bit of the water and puree.

3. Spoon the puree into a large enough pot, then add water, honey, orange juice, lemon juice and preserved lemons. Stir, cover and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes over medium heat.

4. Meanwhile, toast the sesame and cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat for a few seconds (be careful as they burn easily).

5. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzling with yoghurt (if using) and sprinkling with the toasted seeds and orange zest. Serve immediately.

* If you don't have a jar of preserved lemons handy, you can replace the juice with an equal quantity of lemon juice, and adjust the salt to taste. The taste, however, won't be quite the same.

Nutritional info (per starter serving): Calories 158.9 , Total fat 6.3 g, Saturated fat g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.9 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 6.7 mg, Sodium 880.4 mg, Potassium 652.2 mg, Total carbohydrate 26.8 g, Dietary fiber 6.3 g, Sugars 6.8 g, Protein 2.8 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 327.2 %, Vitamin C 57.8 %, Manganese 23.2 %, Vitamin B-6 16.0 %