Sunday, September 21, 2014

Roasted Carrot & Ginger Soup

I wanted to serve soup and sandwiches for a recent lunch with family.  I found this great recipe for Carrot & Ginger soup.  My mouth started watering almost immediately as I read the ingredients and directions.  I’ve left recipe almost intact – with a few minor alterations.  (More ginger and the addition of sour cream.)  I served the soup with French Dip Sandwiches.  Wow!  They were amazing and the combination of the soup and sandwiches was really well received.  Let’s just say there wasn’t a lot of talking going on at the lunch table – we were all too busy eating!
 
Ingredients:
 
2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into large dice (3/4-inch)
2 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps butter, unsalted
1 medium onion, medium dice
2 large ribs of celery, medium dice
3 tbsps fresh ginger, grated (I cheated and used ginger from a jar)
4 cups chicken broth
3 - 4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
 
Directions:
 
Preheat oven to 425°F.
 
Place the diced carrots in a large baking or roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the carrots, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and toss to coat evenly. Roast the carrots for 45 minutes, stirring the carrots after the first 25 minutes or roasting. Remove from oven.
 
Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for three minutes until translucent. Add the celery and ginger to the onions and sauté for 4 more minutes. Stir in the roasted carrots, broth, 3 cups of the water, salt, and white pepper.
 
Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low so that it is actively simmering. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for 45 minutes.
 
Allow the soup to cool a bit.  In batches, transfer the soup to a blender and purée until completely creamy.  Adding a bit of extra water as needed.  Return the soup to the pot and stir in the sour cream.   
 
Reheat the soup if necessary, season with more salt to taste, and serve.
 
Serves 4-6. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.