Orange-Carrot Curry Soup
page 95 in the book

1 boil carrots and onions in water until tender
2 to prepare béchamel sauce, melt butter in a small pan, sprinkle in flour, and stir until bubbly. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens.
3 in blender, puree boiled vegetables along with some of the water they have been cooking in. It will take two batches in the blender to do the job. Save the stock.
4 in a large soup pot, combine the pureed vegetables and béchamel sauce and mix. Add all ingredients except oil and orange peel, tasting along the way for the correct amount of salt. Use remaining vegetable stock to thin soup to desired consistency.
5 quickly heat the tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Do not burn the oil (i.e., smoking). Sauté chopped orange peel until the pieces begin to shrivel a bit an turn slightly beige, about 20 seconds, Add to soup. Reheat soup and serve.

Baba Ghanoush

- 4 cups carrots (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 quarts water
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- Dash of red pepper
- pinch of nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons sherry
- Juice of 1 orange
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 rounded tablespoon finely chopped orange peel.