04 Jan Carrot & Ginger Soup
Did you have one (or ten) too many cookies last month? We know how you feel. Join us and make one soup every day this week for a post-holiday detox.
This recipe is exceedingly simple: you can prepare it in advance, and serve it as the first course of a dinner party. The flavor profile will be perfect for stimulating the appetite for the rest of a late Spring meal. The advantage of this recipe is that it can be served year-round, either warm in the cold months, or chilled in the Spring or Summer. It also freezes well, so you can even keep it for those cold Winter nights! Note: This recipe appears in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook.
4 servings
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon ginger root, grated
1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon thyme, dried
¼ teaspoon garlic clove, minced
Equipment
Heavy-bottomed medium saucepan
Food processor or immersion blender
Preparation
Heat a deep saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Sauté the diced onion until it becomes translucent, about 5-8 minutes. You do not want to caramelize the onion, just sweat it.
Add the maple syrup, honey and ginger to the pot, and stir thoroughly until combined. Continue to cook until the onions begin to turn a lovely shade of golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Add all the remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes until the carrots are soft.
Cool slightly, then purée. Serve warm or chilled.
Recipe by Mark Tafoya
Photo by Ken Stoeffler