Alanna from A Veggie Venture declared February as month of soups.

I remember, my grandma served soup as starter every day, normally a homemade broth with some noodles and/or vegetables. I did not like these soups so much. I prefere cream soups. So I prepared for Alanna's event a cream soup with a taste of Vanilla and Sherry. Sherry is a type of wine originally produced in and around the town of Jerez, Spain; and hence in Spanish it is called "Vino de Jerez". Sherry must come from the triangular area of the province of Cádiz between Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María, by law.

Carrot-Vanilla-Sherry-Cream-Soup
makes 2



1 tb ghee
300 g carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 vanilla bean
1/2 peperoncino, cut into julienne strips or Cayenne pepper
350 ml homemade chicken broth
50 ml Fino*
crème fraîche

Cut the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. Scrape the seeds.

Melt ghee in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrots, peperoncino, vanilla seeds and the pod, and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes.

Add Sherry and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are tender (about 25 minutes).

Remove the vanilla pod. Blend the carrots to a cream soup in a mixer. If required add little broth.

Pour the soup in the same pan, season with salt and Cayenne (if required). Heat, but do not boil, keep stirring in between. Garnish with crème fraîche.

*Fino is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry.

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