Minted Carrot Soup

1kg carrots

1 onion

2 potatoes

2 sticks celery

6 shallots

90g butter

1 clove garlic (optional)

1 litre (4 cups) water

2 tspns sugar

salt

2 tblspns chopped parsley

2 tspns chopped mint

1/2 cup cream

Peel and slice carrots, onion and potatoes. Wash and chop celery and shallots. Melt butter in large saucepan, add carrots, crushed garlic (optional), potatoes, onion, celery and shallots, stir to coat vegetables in butter.

Cover pan, cook gently approx. 5 minutes, sitrring occasionally; do not let the vegetables brown. Add water, sugar and salt. Simmer gently, covered approx. 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in chopped parsley and mint. Blend vegetables and liquid until smooth in electric blender. Blend only one cup of soup at a time. Return soup to saucepan, stir in creeam, reheat without boiling.