Title: Aubergine Soup
Cook: Unknown
Serves: 4-6
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Ingrediants

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 750g Aubergines
• 1 Carrot
• 1 small Parsnip
• 2 Onions
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 litre Vegetable Stock
• 1 pinch Fresh/Dried Thyme leaves
• 1 pinch Ground Corriander
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Tomato puree
• 150 ml Single Cream
• 1 Lemon
• 3 tbsp chopped Parsley

Method:

• First of all prepare all the ingrediants, halve the parsnip, carrot and Aubergine lengthways, finely chop the 2 onions and 3 of the garlic cloves, and your ready to go. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6
• Brush the vegetables with oil and place the aubergines flesh side down into a roasting tin, then roast them for 30 minutes, turning once. Once they are ready remove them from the oven to cool
• When the vegetables are cool enough to handle scrape the flesh from the skin of the aubergines or use a spoon to scoop it out, then roughly chop it. Cut the carrot and parsnip into chunks.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the aubergine flesh, parsnip, carrot, stock, thyme, bay leaf, corriander and tomato pureé, with a little salt. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.
• Allow the soup to cool slightly, then liquidise. Stir in the cream, then reheat over a low heat for approx 10 minutes or until hot. Adjust the seasoning, adding lemon juice to taste.
• To make the lemon-garlic seasoning, chop together the rind of the lemon, garlic clove and parsley until very fine and well mixed. Ladle the soup into warm bowl then garnish with the lemon-garlic seasoning.