Recipe: Creamy carrot soup - Argiro.gr

Instructions

Peel and finely chop all the vegetables.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil or butter. Add the chopped leek, onion, and celery, and sauté for about 3 minutes.
Peel and dice the sweet potato and carrots into small cubes. Add them to the pan and continue sautéing for another 3 minutes until they glisten.
Add the vegetable stock and let the soup simmer for about 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Once cooked, remove the soup from the heat and purée it with an immersion blender until smooth and velvety.
Return the soup to medium heat, add the spices, and simmer for another 5 minutes. If orange peel was added, remove it.
Add a little orange juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the carrot velouté soup with croutons and a spoonful of yogurt, or for a vegan version, with tahini and pumpkin seeds.

For the best velouté texture, chop all vegetables finely so they cook evenly.
For a smoother, silkier consistency, strain the soup through a fine sieve (chinois) to remove any remaining bits of vegetables.
Use a ladle to press the mixture through the sieve, adding a little stock or water to help the purée pass through more easily.
If you prefer a thicker soup, let it simmer a bit longer after blending. For a thinner result, add a little more stock or water.