Delicious clear carrot soup -- perfect for autumn

Now that it becomes colder in the UK, I long for dishes that warms the cockles. One of my favourites is a hearty clear carrot soup/stew. Easy to do, all in one pot and you can freeze portions to eat later. It's a wonderful comforting dinner to share with others or to snuggle up with on the couch in front of the telly.

Here's what you need:
1kg carrots
1 leek
1/2 a celeriac
2 big or 4 medium sized potatoes
Smoked pork, could be bacon, best is gammon joint, here I've used smoked knuckle from the butcher.


Boil the meat first. While it's simmering, cut the leek and carrot into slices. Then dice the potatoes and the celeriac. Don't be too fussy about the same size, you want it to look robust.
Add the vegetables after about 45 minutes and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Take the meat out and dice it into bite sizes, then add to the pot. Cook for another 20 minutes or less, depending on how you like the vegetables.
You won't need any further seasoning, the vegetables will do the job and the smoked meat is salty enough. You can serve it with chopped parsley.



And here is a video from a little guy who enjoyed his food, too. (Wild Rocket, bean sprouts and grated carrots.)

Pssst, if you listen carefully, you can hear him crunch on his food.