Roasted Carrot Soup

Carrots. We all know they’re orange, good for you and bunnies like ‘em. They’re also loaded with vitamins that help prevent cancer and promote good vision (especially night vision). I read on wikipedia.com that the world’s largest carrot was grown in Alaska in 1998; it weighed 19 pounds. Good grief…that’s quite a carrot!

Speaking of carrots, I discovered this recipe for Roasted Carrot Soup a few years ago when I was researching soup recipes. The color of the soup is a vibrant orange and makes quite a visual statement. Roasting the carrots is easy and it gives the soup a rich flavor. I usually omit the fresh ginger, although I’m sure it’s good with it. One time I accidentally left the carrots in the oven too long and they got a little burnt on the bottom. I remedied the situation by cutting the scorched part off each carrot and proceeded with the recipe (using a little less broth to account for a little less carrot being used).

It’s an easy recipe to double…just make sure that the carrots are in a single layer when roasting (and you may need to increase the roasting time a bit). You could easily make this a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.  If puréeing the soup when it’s hot, hold your blender lid down tightly with a kitchen towel like the recipe suggests. I sprayed myself and my kitchen once with hot carrot soup because I wasn’t holding the blender lid firmly enough. Yes, it was as exciting as it sounds. Letting the soup cool before blending or using a hand-held blender (immersion blender) makes this task easier.

Roasted Carrot Soup
by Ruth Lively – Fine Cooking Magazine
 
A tablespoon of ginger gives a nice, throat-warming heat to this soup, which tastes best if it sits in the fridge several hours or overnight.
Serves four. Yields about 1 quart.

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, cut into medium dice (to yield about 3/4 cup)
1 large rib celery, cut into medium dice (to yield about 1/2  cup)
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger (from about 1/2-inch piece, peeled)
2 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
Chopped fresh chives or chervil for garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the carrots in a medium baking dish (11×7-inch is a good size, or any dish that will hold the carrots in a single layer without touching) and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss them to coat well and roast, stirring once halfway through roasting, until they’re tender, blistered, and lightly browned in a few places, about 1 hour.

Melt the butter in a medium (at least 3-quart) heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s translucent and fragrant, 2 to 3 min. Stir in the celery and ginger and cook until the celery softens a bit and the onions start to brown, 4 to 5 min. Add the roasted carrots, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and cover. Cook at a lively simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 45 min. Turn off the heat and let the liquid cool somewhat (or completely).

Purée the soup in a blender in batches, never filling the blender more than a third full, and bearing down firmly on the towel-covered lid so the soup doesn’t come flying out. If serving immediately, return the soup to the pot and reheat; garnish with the chives or chervil if you like. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to five days; reheat gently and taste for salt before serving.

Tags: carrots, Soup/Stew

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