Creamy Purple Carrot Soup

Who wouldn't want to tuck in to this creamy flavourful purple madness. I do. I love purple carrots. Not only they are in my favourite colour but also they are very nutritious root vegetables. You can also steam or boil them and add them to your mashed potatoes if you are a purple freak like me. 

The earliest vegetable to be known as carrot dates back to the 10th century in Persia and Asia minor and it is considered that carrots were originally purple and white. A mutation occurred which removed the purple pigmentation resulting in a new race of yellow carrots from which orange carrots developed.

One of the most popular uses of purple carrots in our Cuisine is ''Şalgam Suyu'' It is a local drink around Adana(çukurova) and Mersin the southern part of Turkey. It is made from bulgur, yeast purple carrots and salt. First the bulgur is fermented for a week then this is transferred to special wooden barrels, the boiled purple carrots are added and reserved for another week. Salt is added then the juice is filtered. There is a spicy and non-spicy version.It is a digestif, hangover cure, or an accompaniment to kebabs, cig kofte, and/or raki. Sour, salty, and spicy, it has counterintuitive refreshment powers. 

Ingredients

1 kg Black Carrots

2 Red onions

2 tablespoons Olive oil

1 teaspoon Caraway seeds

1 teaspoon Ground coriander

250 ml Beef stock(or water)

200 ml Double cream

20 ml Brandy

Salt & Pepper

Fresh coriander leaves( or Parsley)

Wash and peel the black carrots. Cut in equal pieces. Cover with water and cook until they are soft. 

Add olive oil in a pan and sweat the diced red onions. When soft deglaze with brandy (or red wine 40 ml). Add lightly toasted caraway seeds and ground coriander. 

Blend the cooked purple carrots by adding hot beef stock. If necessary sieve through a fine sieve. Pour the mixture in a pot, adjust seasoning. Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Serve with a spoon of whipped cream and fresh coriander leaves.