Carrot Ginger Soup

February 25, 2010  •  Soup, Vegetables

Winter vegetables. On one hand, I’m thrilled to continue getting root vegetables like carrots, beets, leeks and onions throughout the winter from my CSA farm. But on the other hand, I’m sooooo over winter vegetables. I would have cried uncle if I had to face down one more bag of carrots (I gave yesterday’s haul away in my Operation Frontline class this morning) and I would kill for a wine ripened tomato right about now. But just because yesterday was the final distribution day for the winter share doesn’t mean we start getting the spring share next week. No, seasonal eating here in Colorado means it will be months – sometime in June, if Mother Nature cooperates - before we see our first fresh vegetables of the season. Those of you in CA who write about “dark days” meals should try it here!So although yesterday was depressing from an agricultural view, yesterday also brought me my first copy of the cookbook I helped to create for the farm members. It’s more than just a cookbook to me – it’s the first time I’ve worked on something like this, and I was downright busting with pride when my friend arrived to head off to class this morning. You can get a copy of the cookbook by contacting the farm directly – it’s only $12 + $3 shipping, contains 200 recipes for a wide variety of vegetables, and all profits help provide free shares of vegetables to families in need.Well, that humble little project inspired me to make something for lunch with all of those carrots piled up in my refrigerator. One of the great things about pureed soups is that you don’t have to do much prep work on everything since it will later be blended. And although I love to cook, today I’m feeling tired and didn’t want to hassle with minute chopping.Simply cut off the ends of the carrots and gave them a rough dice. You’ll probably notice that I didn’t peel these either. Since the produce from the farm is organic, I try to keep the skins on whenever possible for the nutrients, but if you’re using carrots in a bag from a farm you don’t know, I’d peel them.Roughly quarter two medium onions……and give a rough chop to the garlic.This was the other inspiration for today’s recipe – a peeled hunk of ginger leftover from my cooking class this morning. You can always freeze leftover ginger, but I decided to use it up because I know it goes well with carrots.Peel it with a spoon so you don’t lose much ginger with the outer peel, then use a Microplane to grate it finely. I know the soup will be pureed later, but you want that ginger flavor to all release into the soup while it’s cooking. That’s really it. Start the onions in a little oil, add the carrots, garlic, ginger, stock, salt and pepper and simmer until soft, then puree. I added a small amount of milk to my soup only because I saw it sitting in the refrigerator just waiting to spoil. You can add heavy cream, half and half, milk to enrich it, or if you need to lose a few (like me)r just leave it a simple vegetable soup. You can garnish with sour cream or creme fraiche, or not. And some crunch croutons wouldn’t be bad in this either. Just know that ginger has a bit of zing to it, so this will leave your mouth with that pleasant oh-so-mild after-burn. If you don’t tolerate spicy foods well, decrease the ginger. Buon appetito! (I’m studying my Italian for the upcoming culinary trip I’m leading, so if I slip into la bella lingua, bear with me!)

Carrot Ginger Soup
Serves 8-10

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, quartered
2 pounds carrots, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, or less to taste
6 cups stock, chicken or vegetable
salt and pepper, to taste
sour cream, for garnish
sliced green onions, for garnish

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat and add onions. Cook for just a couple of minutes, then add onions, carrots, garlic, ginger and stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are soft. Remove from heat and puree using a stick blender or carefully transfer to a traditional blender and puree in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream (or creme fraiche) and sliced green onions on top.

Comments

7 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Claudia says:

    You may be tired of winter vegetables but you sure make one gorgeous soup. Winter is getting passe for me also but I would happily take that scrumptious soup off your hands.

  2. Abigail Clark says:

    I really love to eat lots of different kinds of soup specially vegetable based soups.-*`

  3. Luke Turner says:

    i love all sorts of soup but my most favorite soup is none other chicken or beef soup.`-:

  4. Francesca Webb says:

    i alway love the taste of chicken soup as well as oyster soup~*’

  5. Health Juice : says:

    chicken soup and beef soup is always the best tasting soup in my honest opinion. i love the taste of both;~-

  6. Alston says:

    Located your site through askjeeve I must say I’m astounded with your content!

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