A warming, earthy-flavored soup with a lovely red color that will create inner radiance after any cold outing.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-small carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ stock of celery, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• ½ medium fennel bulb, chopped, keep a few fennel fronds for decoration
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp coriander seeds
• seeds of 1 cardamom pod
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 3 turns of fresh ground black pepper
• 8 red peppers berries, crushed
• 800 ml stock – your favorite type
• 500 grams of cooked beets, diced
• olive oil
• chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• sour cream (optional)

Putting it all together:

• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the carrots, onions, apple, and the fennel; stir-fry on medium-low heat so as to soften but not brown the vegetables.
• Finely grind the coriander and cardamom seeds with the sea salt and fresh pepper in a spice mill, coffee grinder or mortar.
• Add half the spices and the crushed red pepper berries to the vegetables and simmer for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the broth and the beets. Stir and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat or transfer the pot to a smaller flame and simmer for a further 20 minutes, covered.
• Test to see if all the vegetables are soft and if not cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Roll the pomegranate on the counter with your palm to release the juice, then cut in half and press on a lemon press to collect the juice.
• Remove the soup from the heat, place the pot on a board, add the pomegranate juice, stir to mix and let stand covered for 5-10 minutes to cool down.
• Purée carefully so as not to burn yourself.
• Serve the soup with chopped fennel fronds or fresh-chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream (optional).