The Very Merry Soup Month of May! Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

Scottish Curried Carrot and Lentil Soup

The Very Merry Soup Month of May!

Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

Who would have thought that in May I would still be hankering after soup to warm the soul as well as me! We are only two days into May and already I am planning more soup days….. which, as it happens is fine, as I DO love a bowl of soup! So when Scotty Brand sent me a lovely box of fresh Scottish carrots recently, as part of my Scotty Brand Blogger scheme,  I had the perfect excuse to make carrot soup, which is one of my favourites. In th box with the carrots was a LOVELY recipe for Carrot and Orange Soup; and I had planned to make this, as I LOVE citrus fruits in soups……it was described as ” a warming carrot and orange soup with a sunny disposition”…….sounded perfect for a wet day in May! Unfortunately when I went to make it, the fruit basket was bereft of oranges, so I decided to develop a new carrot recipe.

Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

I love curry when added to soups and it seemed like a good idea to add a bit of zip to our lunch-time menu, as the rain dripped down the kitchen windows and the wind howled through the letterbox……and, I also love lentil in a soup too, so my soup idea was put to the test and I have to say that it was a winner. Thick and unctuous with a lovely spicy kick and the added goodness of lentils, this soup certainly hit the spot, especially as I served it with home-made sun-dried tomato and herb bread. I WILL be trying the lovely sounding Scotty Brand Carrot and Orange soup as soon as I buy some more oranges, but for now, my Scotty Brand carrots were just fabulous in this hearty soup.

Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

What a LOVE about Scotty Brand vegetables, is the provenance that comes with each bag of carrots or potatoes; for example, my delicious carrots are grown and packed in Scotland by Philip Benzie. Philip farms the same Aberdeenshire land that was once worked by his grandfather, sharing the same passion for farming, quality and strong traditions of rural stewardship. While Philip’s grandfather might be surprised at some of Philip’s modern methods — such as the wind turbine powering the farm’s operations — he would certainly approve of the careful management of the Earth’s resources, merging traditional values with today’s technologies. We can’t promise they’ll give you perfect night vision, but our carrots are crammed with nutrients and are deliciously versatile vegetables to cook with…….how nice to know all about the grower and his family……and you can read more about Philip here: Philip Benzie

Carrots are GOOD for you! Did you know?

• There is as much calcium in just nine carrots as there is in 250ml of whole milk.
• No other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots; the body converts this into vitamin A.
• Vitamin A is key to the formation and maintenance of radiant skin, as well as bones and teeth development, and great vision.
• Beta–carotene, the antioxidant, occurs in carrots and may help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers.
• Carrots are fat–free foods. They have very little sodium and no cholesterol at all.

Typical values per 100g:

Energy 121kJ/29kcal; protein 0.6g; carbohydrates 4.5g; of which sugars 4.4g; fat 0.4g; of which saturates 0.1g; fibre 2.5g; sodium trace; salt trace.

Carrots

But enough about why carrots are so good for you and help you see in the dark…..back to my lovely comforting soup…..this soup is just as good in May as it would be in September…….. a May to September soup then! Enjoy this soup, and remember that these fabulous Scottish carrots are also available in England, at Asda and Morrisons supermarkets. See you later with MORE Scottish fare……Karen. PS. The sun is now coming out……

Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

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Serves	4
Prep time	5 hours
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	5 hours, 30 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Soup, Starter
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A delicious soup with a hint of curry and spices that will warm you up on a cold day. Serve with crusty bread and/or croutons.

Ingredients

• 4 large carrots (peeled and finely diced)
• 1 large potato (peeled and finely diced)
• 2 small onions (peeled and finely diced)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons rapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 100g red lentils (rinsed)
• 600ml vegetable stock
• salt and pepper, to season
• 4 tablespoons single cream (or crème fraîche)

Note

I used Scotty Brand Carrots and Kestrel Potatoes, hence the soup being called Scottish! Use any good ingredients local to you. Do NOT allow to soup to boil.

Directions

Step 1	In a large saucepan, add the rapeseed oil and heat over a medium heat; then add the carrots, potato and onions and gently sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the carrots and potatoes have lost their bite.
Step 2	Add the curry powder and cumin powder and cook for 1 minute. Then add the lentils and stir them in to the vegetables before adding the stock. Place the lid on the saucepan and lower the heat, and simmer the soup for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked.
Step 3	Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the cream or crème fraîche. Stir well. Take off the heat and with a stick blender or handheld blender, blend the soup until it is thick and smooth.
Step 4	Place the soup back on to a low to medium heat and bring back to a gentle simmer, do NOT allow to boil. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and serve hot with bread and/or croutons.

Curried Scottish Carrot and Lentil Soup

What is your favourite soup?

Do you cook with carrots often and what is your favourite carrot recipe?