6-8 servings; 10 min preparation; 40 min cooking.

Among all delicious dishes and sweets that Portugal is famous with, soups are on top of the list. Almost every restaurant as big or small offers a couple of soups on the menu. They make them so fresh and full of flavour and yet they keep the natural taste of the ingredients by not using a lot of spices.

This carrot soup is definitely my favourite. I love the sweetness of the carrots and the vibrant orange colour. In the cold winter nights, this soup will warm you up and keep your health in a good shape.

Ingredients

• 650 g carrots, chopped roughly
• 250 g potatoes, chopped in cubes
• 1 onion, chopped roughly
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp mild olive oil
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional)
• 1/2 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
• 100 g cream
• salt

for the croutons

• 2 thick slices of bread
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
• salt

Preparation

Chop the vegetables roughly. We will blend the soup so all chunks will disappear. Heat the olive oil in a big soup pan. Fry the onions until transparent. Add the garlic and fry a couple of more minutes.

Add the carrots and potatoes and stir for 2-3 min. Add 1 l of water. If you like, use one vegetable bouillon cube for deeper flavour. I normally don’t use this, because I prefer the pure taste of the carrots. Bring to the boil and let simmer until the vegetables get soft.

Blend the soup using a stick-mixer. Add cream, nutmeg, coriander and salt. Let the soup simmer for 5 min. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Croutons: Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C/430 degrees F. Cut the bread in cubes as big or small as you prefer. Lay the bread cubes on an oven tray, covered with baking paper. Add the seasoning and make sure that all pieces are covered evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 min.

Serve the soup with the croutons. You can also add slices of a hard-boiled egg as they serve it in Portugal. Enjoy!