Winter carrot soup

The addition of fresh thyme in this soup is the star. The thyme adds an interesting flavour and counteracts the sweetness of carrots.

Serves 4

15g butter

1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly

sliced

500g carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tsp thyme leaves

1 litre vegetable stock

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper Cream for finishing

1

Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the leek, cover the pan and cook until it begins to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the carrots and thyme leaves with the vegetable stock. Season with sea salt flakes and black pepper. Cover and simmer until the carrots are very tender, 25-30 minutes. Remove soup from the heat and leave to cool a little before blending to a puree. Return the carrot soup to the saucepan and heat. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and drizzle a little cream over each bowl of soup.

the leaves for serving

2 shallots, peeled and very finely sliced 150g shiitake mushrooms, leave whole or slice

if larger

1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced

1 Tbsp fish sauce

2-3 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced 24 shelled prawns, thawed or less if you use

larger prawns

4 Tbsp lime juice

To serve

Reserved coriander leaves, roughly chopped Chilli paste or chilli sauce to taste

1

Pour the stock into a heavy-based saucepan. Using kitchen string, tie together the lime or lemon rind, kaffir lime leaves and coriander roots and place in the stock.

Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Add the shallots, shiitake mushrooms and chilli. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the fish sauce, spring onions and prawns. Continue to simmer until the prawns turn pink. Add the lime juice.

Ladle into warmed soup bowls. Serve hot with small bowls of the roughly chopped coriander leaves and chilli paste or sauce for everyone to add their own to their individual taste.

Make a change

Chop 2 baby bok choy and add in with the mushrooms.

Cook 200g noodles and add to the soup bowls before adding broth.

Top soup with finely shredded fresh ginger, which has been fried in a little vegetable oil until crisp.

Instead of the prawns, use 300g leftover cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces. Use vegetable stock and tofu.