Simple Supper in Lent 2 - Carrot soup and bread

Gosh, is it Friday again already? Time goes by so quickly these days. Anyway, a little simple supper will not go down badly in any home of after a long days activities. This, by my Da, is an excellent recipe for tired people. It does not take too long to prepare, and when it is cooked it is yummy. It keeps well, so leftovers make a good lunch too. Have a big loaf of the yummiest bread handy, and lots of butter and cheese. Those sorts of things are important when you are fasting :)

Carrot Soup

You need:

1lb Carrots
2 pints Vegetable Stock, made from good quality Vegetable Stock Powder
1 large Potato
2 Onions
A large tablespoon of butter
Zest of 1/2 and Orange and a little juice
Salt and Pepper
Coriander or Parsley (optional)

Chop the onion and fry it gently in the butter, adding finely sliced potato and carrots as it cooks. Make 2 pints of stock using good quality vegetable stock powder. You know your stock powders, use just 3 teaspoons, or 4, to keep the whole soup from being too salty. Once the vegetables have softened together, add the stock and allow the soup to simmer for about 30 mins, until everything is soft to the touch. Grate the zest of half an orange into the pan, with a little of the juice - to taste. Blend the soup using a hand held blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Even a little splash of cream if you are feeling extravagant. A handful of coriander or parsley doesn't go amiss either.

Serve with hunks of bread and good quality cheese. Yum.