Jackie has kindly shared her absolutely delicious soup recipe with us. Its perfect when all you have left left in the fridge is some carrots and celery. You can still make a delicious soup using some good stock and the fragrant kick of ground coriander and cumin. If you dry roast your coriander and cumin seeds and grind them yourself the flavour will be even better. Included below are the instructions for dry roasting your own seeds.

Served with some crusty sourdough bread, this wonderful carrot and celery soup makes a satisfying meal at any time of day.  Dry roast your seeds ahead and you will find that this is a very quick and easy soup to make.

Jackie’s Spicy Carrot and Celery Soup

Ingredients:

• 525 g carrots, diced
• 150 g celery, diced
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 L vegetable stock
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 small knob of butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Wash and dice the carrots and celery
2. Using a heavy based saucepan on a medium low heat, add oil and knob of butter
3. When the butter foams add the diced carrots and celery and cook for 2 minutes, stirring
4. Add the ground coriander and cumin to the vegetable mixture and stirring continuously, cook for a further 3 minutes
5. Pour in the stock, stir through and lowering the heat, simmer for 30 minutes till the celery and onions are tender
6. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste and then puree with an immersion blender until smooth
7. Serve with fresh coriander leaves and crusty sourdough bread

Dry Roasting Coriander and Cumin Seeds

Method:

1. Heat a small heavy-based pan on a medium-low heat and when the pan is hot, dry roast the cumin seeds for about 1-2 minutes till they start to crackle and release their aroma, keeping them moving in the pan by shaking the pan and being careful not to burn them.
2. Immediately remove them to a plate to cool. Left in the pan the seeds will continue to cook and burn
3. Repeat the process with the coriander seeds, which being larger could take slightly longer
4. Once cool to the touch, grind the seeds individually with a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder, to a fine mix
5. Allow the powder to cool to cool for 5 minutes
6. Seal in small glass jars with tight fitting lids
7. Shelf life is 6-8 months if stored in a dark, cool, and dry place