Ivan and Cully made this soup and two others (pea and parsnip) for a starter at a charity dinner party they hosted on St Patrick’s Day. They presented the three soup in shot glasses so that it represented the three colours of the Irish flag.

Makes 6 normal serves or about 15 shots

35g butter

750g carrots, chopped

110g onions, chopped

salt and pepper

pinch of sugar

1.20 litres of vegetable stock

Melt the butter, when it foams add the chopped onions and carrots, season with salt, pepper and sugar. Cover with a butter wrapper or a tight fitting lid, to retain the steam. Leave to sweat gently on a low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the stock and boil until the vegetable are soft approximately 10 minutes. Liquidise and then pass through a sieve to give that lovely creamy texture. Pop into the fridge to chill. Serve with a sprinkle of rose petals to garnish.