Cream of Carrot Soup

Pulling together a meal can sometimes be daunting when you haven’t actually planned anything out. However, having a few tricks up your sleeves can help.

We had planned on having spaghetti for dinner last Sunday when a friend of ours announced she was coming over to go walking and have a Scrabble Death Match. Dinner plans changed immediately as said friend doesn’t eat pasta of any kind except for my macaroni and cheese because, well, the goo to pasta ratio is quite high. I quickly decided on baked chicken thighs, garlic mashed potatoes, freshly picked green beans, and something with carrots. At first I was thinking I’d just roast the carrots alongside the chicken, but then decided I should check on the carrots in the garden boxes in our backyard first. After pulling out one the size of my forearm, I decided roasting may not be the best option here and perhaps I should look into making a soup instead.

As usual, when looking for a recipe, I can’t simply follow it. I have to fiddle. I’m weird like that. So I gathered the ingredients I had and began. Onions, ginger, curry, carrot and broth all mingled away for about twenty minutes until the chopped carrot was tender. The results were amazing and I can’t wait to make this again and again.

Cory’s Cream of Carrot Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

½ teaspoon curry powder

1 can chicken broth (14 oz)

1 – 1½ pounds of carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

½ cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add the onions, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just begins to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the carrots, sugar and broth next. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth or stock instead of chicken. Cook on low, uncovered, for about twenty minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. Using a ladle, place the solids in a food processor and process until smooth. A blender will suffice in place of a food processor. Mix back into liquid and add the heavy cream, salt and pepper. This makes about four cups of a thick soup. For a thinner version, double the broth or use an additional 1½ cups water or white wine when cooking the carrots.