Spicy Carrot and Orange Soup

1. Pour the oil in a good-sized pot and gently saute the leeks for about 2 minutes with the pot covered. Add the chopped carrots, stir well, cover the pot, and continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes over low heat. 2. Uncover the pot, stir once more, and add the stock, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, ginger, cilantro, orange rind, orange juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. 3. Allow the soup to cook and then pass it through a sieve or blend it in a blender or food processor. this soup can be refrigerated for a few hours and served cold, or if you decide to serve it hot, reheat it just before serving and let the soup stand for 3 minutes. Garnish the soup with thin orange slices at the center of each serving. Recipe by: Twelve Months of Monastery Soups. p. 124 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #649 by Sue <suechef@sover.net> on Jun 26, 1997