We had quite a sh#@ty summer in Paris where it rained pretty much non-stop for what seemed like four months. And then we got a break: a beautiful Indian summer that went on for weeks, a real luxury in our neck of the woods!

It was already the first weekend in October when the fall finally arrived and the nip in the air was a welcome excuse to make a heart-warming soup. I had some carrots on hand and had the idea for this recipe. The coconut cream and the coriander marry really well with the mild taste of the carrots.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, coconut ghee or butter
• 3 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemongrass (a little less if it’s dried, although you can’t really go wrong with it in my book)
• Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
• 1 kg carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1,5 liter chicken stock, filtered water or half of each
• 100 g coconut cream

Equipment

A heavy-bottomed pot like enameled or regular cast iron, a plunge mixer

Method

Melt the fat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions and sauté them for about five minutes, then add the spices, salt and pepper. Continue until the onions are translucent and the mixture becomes fragrant.

Add the carrots and continue cooking until they become softer. Meanwhile heat the chicken stock or the water, melt the coconut cream in it and add the boiling liquid into the pot. (You can add the liquid cold as well but this will slow down the cooking.)

Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to break down with a fork.

Let the soup cool down a bit before blending thoroughly with a hand mixer, adding more liquid if necessary and adjusting the seasoning. Reheat before serving. Bon appétit!