Before I begin, let me say that this meal is EASY...and fast...and cheap...and did I say EASY? And I guarantee most of the ingredients are right there in your fridge or pantry. Need I say more? Besides that's it's utterly DE-lish. The fresh ginger adds that special kick that sets it apart from most of my other throw-together-at-the-last-minute soups. I've never met a man, woman, or child who didn't like this dish...and that's including my two year old who recently decided that he won't eat carrots.
That is, unless mom is sneaky enough to blend them into a soup.
Haha. Moms are so smart.
Anyway, moving on.
Start by dicing the carrots.
(Note: I'm making a double batch here, intending to freeze the extra soup and pull it out for a mid-week dinner pinch...because I'm lazy like that.)
Start the butter a-meltin'. Aren't they beautiful? Don't skimp on butter.
Butter = delicious.
And again, keep in mind that I'm making a double batch here.
Dice the onions.
And now, introducing...
Fresh ginger.
If you've never cooked with it before, (or if you think it just looks plain weird) never fear. It's super easy. And PLEASE...please, please...for the love of all things good and yummy, DO NOT substitute with powdered, ground ginger. Your soup will be crying if you do. Seriously. Take my word. You can pick up this fresh ginger root in the produce aisle for about $0.40.
Peel it with a veggie peeler and give the appropriate amount (about 1-inch of ginger root per batch) a rough chop.
Wrap up the remaining root in sturdy plastic wrap and freeze. It'll freeze well for a month or two, during which time you can pull it out and cut off chunks as needed.
Throw the carrots, onion, and ginger in with the butter and cook until onions are translucent.
And meanwhile...while the veggies are all getting comfortable in the pot...
Ready the stock.
The recipe calls for vegetable stock, but I'm using chicken. For the sake of rebellion. And because going to the store again with a toddler sounded like death.
Ready the potatoes.
When the carrot-mix is ready, pour in the potatoes n' liquid. Put the lid on and let simmer for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, kick your feet up and revel in the awesomeness of letting the stove do the cooking part for you.To check for done-ness, try crushing a piece of carrot with a fork. If it crushes, it's ready, and you can proceed to...
Blend the heck out of the thing.
This can be done in small batches in a blender, or...
An immersion blender. If you don't have one, I would seriously consider buying one. Sorry, I don't usually promote products in my posts, but if I could have a love affair with a kitchen appliance, (sorry, hubby) this would be IT. Making blended soups, spaghetti sauce, pancake batter, popover batter (oooh, that is a WHOLE 'nother post) and a whole lot more SOOOO much easier. For this recipe, you can blend the soup right in the pan without getting a steam-explosion facial.
And last, but not least, TAKE THE PAN OFF THE HEAT to add in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper...and a dash of nutmeg, if you're feeling adventurous. (Note: Never, ever let the cream boil. It'll curdle it. Blegh.)
Again, DO NOT substitute with half and half or milk. That would be beyond scandalous. The taste of real cream is absolutely essential. If you want to cut back on fat, add a little less cream (I often do that).
If you need something to use the extra cream on (besides making this soup again), pour it over fresh berries or canned peaches with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Voila. Instant dessert.
Serve with a crusty french or garlic bread.
Can I say, de-li-cious?
My husband could eat this stuff all week.
Enjoy, my friends.
RECIPE: CREAMY CARROT SOUP
Makes: About 5-6 servings
2 T butter
2 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp (about 1-inch) diced ginger root
1/2 cup cubed potatoes
4 cups (or 2 cans) vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Sweat the carrots, onion, and ginger with the butter. Add potatoes and broth, and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.
To blend, strain liquid into a separate container. Put vegetables into a blender, and pour in just enough of the liquid to cover the vegetables. Puree in stages if necessary. Return vegetable puree and remaining broth to the pan. (This can also be done in the pan with an immersion blender.)
Stir heavy cream into the pan with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Heat but do not boil, and serve immediately.
-From the kitchen of Alyssa H., adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
