carrot apple ginger soup

Between the garden and the bunches arriving the past two weeks in the CSA box (which JR didn't touch when I was in Seattle - I've never really figured out how/what he eats when I'm not here to cook...), I found myself with a fridge suddenly overrun with carrots earlier this week. Overrun with carrots and not exactly sure what to do with them.

I had soup on my mind. It has been cold and rainy - the kind of weather that calls for something hot to be simmering on the stovetop. I love unabashedly autumn thick, burnt-orange colored soups: butternut squash, kabocha, pumpkin. It struck me that carrot soup would have a similar sapphire tone. I scanned the kitchen to determine what else to incorporate. Onion is a soup-staple from my perspective. The apples and ginger root on the counter sounded like they would combine for a good flavor profile, so into the pot they went. The soup was healthy, tasty, and came together relatively quickly. If I had more time, I might have roasted the carrots first to bring out their natural sweetness. I'll try that next time.

Carrots from the garden.

A note on organic carrots: when I was scanning carrot soup recipes online, I noticed that many call for peeling the carrots. If you are vegetarian and use organic carrots (especially from your own garden), I would actually advise against this. Organic dirt is one of the few non-animal sources of B12, a vitamin important for brain and nervous system function. The small amount of organic dirt in your carrot's skin may actually be beneficial.

Carrot, Apple, Ginger Soup

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

8-10 medium organic carrots, chopped

3 medium apples, peeled & chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced

4 c. vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. honey

1 generous pinch of sea salt

toasted walnuts & cream for garnish

In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add carrots, apples, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften. Add broth, honey, and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes, until carrots are fully cooked.

Use an immersion blender (or an upright blender, processing the soup in batches as needed) to puree the soup to a smooth consistency. Serve topped with toasted walnuts and cream.

One year ago: eggplant pizza