Carrot Cheddar Soup

In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and carrots with a sprinkle of salt and pepper over medium heat. Stir the carrots to coat with the olive oil for 5 minutes until starting to sizzle.

Add the celery and onion and stir to combine for 5 more minutes, until the veggies have started to soften.

Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, then sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir the flour into the veggies for 2 minutes to cook it slightly.

Add the tomato juice and 2 cups of stock to the veggie/flour mixture. Stir to combine, and increase the heat slightly so the mixture comes to a bubble and thickens. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium – simmer the vegetables for 15 – 20 minutes until the carrots are very soft.

When the veggies are cooked, use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup, then return to the pot if you used a regular blender.

Over medium-low heat, add the cheddar, mascarpone, and milk to the soup. Stir to combine and melt the cheeses, then taste. Add more salt and pepper to your taste.

If the soup is very thick, add additional stock 2 tablespoons at a time until the soup is a consistency that you enjoy.

Serve soup topped with fresh herbs and scallion alongside crusty bread smeared with extra mascarpone.

Enjoy!