I love the refreshing flavor and heat of fresh ginger and this soup shows it off beautifully, especially if you use the full three tablespoons of ginger listed below. It even causes a pleasant burn in the back of your throat. If you prefer a little less assertiveness, use just two tablespoons. Either way, keep in mind that ginger becomes more pronounced over time, so although the soup stores very well, the ginger’s bite will become stronger. Many recipes for carrot and other pureed vegetable soups call for toppings of one kind or another, but I really prefer to let the natural flavors of the soup and veggies shine through, so I skip them. You can always top with a scattering of whatever fresh herb is in the soup, though, which is very pretty and highlights the flavors already in the soup. Be sure to cook the carrots until they are very tender so that they’ll puree to a silky smooth soup.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 large yellow onion, chopped

　　6 garlic cloves, minced

　　Kosher salt

　　2 pounds carrots, chopped

　　2 to 3 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger

　　5 cups Vegetable Broth (recipe follows) or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth

　　2 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus fresh leaves for serving, if desired

　　1 fresh or dried bay leaf

　　Ground black pepper to taste

　　1/2 cup whole milk

　　

Vegetable Broth

2 medium yellow onions, each cut into 8 wedges

　　3 carrots, coarsely chopped

　　2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped

　　1 leek (white and light green parts), coarsely chopped

　　4 sprigs of fresh parsley

　　4 sprigs of fresh thyme

　　1 fresh or dried bay leaf

　　1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

　　(makes about 8 cups)

　　

Step 1

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the carrots and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, thyme, bay leaf, and a few grindings of black pepper. Increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and adjust the heat to boil gently for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the carrots are very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer the soup in batches to the work bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth. Pour the soup back into the soup pot and reheat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into 4 to 6 soup bowls and garnish with thyme leaves, if desired. Serve hot.

　　

Vegetable Broth

Step 3

In a large stockpot, place the onions, carrots, celery, leek, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the broth is flavorful, 30 to 45 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Strain the broth through a mesh strainer and discard the solids; do not press on the vegetables while straining or the broth will turn cloudy. Let cool.

　　

Step 5

Store in tightly covered containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.

　　

from aunt elsa’s kitchen

Step 6

The most time-consuming part of this and the Butternut Squash Soup (page 43) is the chopping. You can buy the carrots or squash already chopped in many stores, but they’re ridiculously expensive. To get ahead for the busy week without breaking the bank, spend a little time over the weekend peeling and chopping carrots and winter squash by hand or, even faster, by pulsing in the food processor. Place the chopped vegetables in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze until needed. The soups come together in no time when the chopping is done ahead.

　　Eva's Kitchen