A soup worth writing home about, this carrot and tahini soup is filled with rich nutty flavor.
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 fat leek, white part only, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt, more to taste
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground turmeric
pinch of cayenne pepper
1½ lb carrots, sliced ½-inch thick
1 quart vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
⅓ cup tahini
fresh lemon juice, to taste
pitas, for dunking
Instructions
In a soup pot, over medium heat, pour in oil, then add leek and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add carrots and stir to coat them with leek mixture. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, then add broth, thyme, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, partly cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.
When carrots are tender, remove thyme branches and stir in tahini. Using an immersion blender (or transfer to a food processor/blender), puree soup until smooth. Return to pot and reheat if necessary. Taste and add lemon juice. Add salt to taste.