Carrot and Tarragon Soup

This is a delicious, summery soup, but it can be made in the winter with two finely chopped leeks instead of the lettuce leaves.

Don't be tempted to use stock, as this detracts from the fresh flavour of the carrots.

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This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course and Delia's Complete Illustrated Cookery Course

Method

First wash and scrape the carrots and slice them thinly, then chop the onion and lettuce fairly small. In a heavy-based saucepan gently melt the butter and soften the onion in it for a minute or two, then add the carrots and lettuce, stirring to get a good coating of butter. Now put a lid on and let the vegetables gently sweat for 10 minutes.

Next, strip the leaves from the tarragon, pop them in, then add 1½ pints (850 ml) boiling water, the sugar and a seasoning of salt and pepper. When it returns to simmering point, put a lid on and simmer very gently for 25 minutes.

Now either liquidise or sieve the soup, taste to check the seasoning and reheat gently, stirring in the cream just before serving.