Carrot, Harissa and Basil Soup
We are all familiar with the build-up of bits and pieces that need to be used up. Some, like butter, cheese, cream and milk we freeze and use them later in pastry, quiches and desserts. Others we use to concoct a dish. Recently we had some leftover white wine, milk, carrots and a half bunch of basil, and half a jar of bought harissa that was at its use-by-date. We poached the chopped carrots gently in the minimum amount of water. In a separate saucepan we sautéed some onion and garlic in oil. We added the softened carrots and their poaching liquid, the leftover white wine (about a cup), and the half jar of harissa. When it was all heated we added the milk (about a cup and a half) and brought it to a light simmer, seasoning along the way. We washed the basil strands, shook them dry and added the leaves to the pot to wilt. Then we whizzed it all together with a stick blender. It was yummy. (We did have some other ingredients on hand, namely broccolini and asparagus, but we refrained from using them as we thought they might ‘clutter’ the taste.)
Serves: Two to four, depending on volume of ingredients used. Serve with a dob of sour cream on top, accompanied by crusty bread.
Difficulty: Not difficult (2/5).
Contributions welcomed!
If you have any inspirational moments based on what’s in the fridge or on the shelves, we are happy to hear about them, including the ingredients, (good quality photos if you have any) and why it turned out so well.