Ginger Carrot Soup
I think you guys will like this! I'm a big fan of puréed soups, but I really don't make them as often as I should. They're perfect this time of year, so you'll definitely want to try this one now that Fall is upon us.
This soup was recommended to me by my friend Andrew Lowden. It took me about a full year before I got around to making it. This video was actually my first attempt, and I was actually pretty happy with the results. As usual I looked at a bunch of different recipes and settled on my own interpretation. The use of fresh turmeric stood out to me and I'm glad I included it in this recipe. You may want to use less than I did, but that's up to you.
Also, a note about the thumbnail: The first bowl I made (and photographed) I just garnished with some extra coconut milk. You'll see at the end of the video that I garnish with crackers and goat cheese, which I found to be superior. But you can of course eat this however you want.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb Carrots
- 1 - 2 inches Fresh Ginger
- 1/2 - 1 inch Fresh Turmeric
- 1 or 2 Shallots
- 1 Red Bell pepper (optional)
- 3 or 4 cloves of Garlic
- 1 Vegetable Bullion cube (optional)
- 2 cups of Water (or Vegetable Stock)
- 1 can of Coconut Milk
So the technique is pretty simple for this. You sweat the veggies, add liquid, simmer for 45 minutes, blend, add coconut milk, blend more, enjoy. This is basically how I do all puréed soups.
To start, get your shallots a little caramelized. Don't use your highest heat, but keep them moving in a hot pan with some oil and add your carrots when the shallots get a nice little char on them. You don't HAVE to do this, but I was happy with the results.
Sweat your carrots for 10 minutes or so over low heat. Add a bell pepper if you want at this point. It will add a little extra flavor and color to the finished soup. Add the ginger, turmeric, and garlic and continue to sweat for another 5 minutes or so. Add in your water and bullion, or veggie stock, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Blend it, strain it if you want, add the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper. Side note: it just it me that smoked paprika would have been a really good idea in this...
You can garnish this however you would like, but I'm a sucker for oyster crackers and goat cheese. I only had off-brand "thin wheat" crackers though, but they got the job done.
