Creamed Roasted Carrot Soup
Fall Soup Rocks: Try this Fabulous Root Vegetable Recipe Creation
Oct 26, 2009
Looking in the fridge, low on ingredients and unsure of what you could make for a tasty, warm dinner? You probably have carrots, whether they're the bite-sized baby carrots or beautiful, large carrots, that's perfect. A creamy soup full of Fall flavors emerges in your imaginative mind with Holiday spiced goodness...
Type: Main Dish
Serve With: Dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and chopped chives.
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Yield: Large stock pot full - Approximately 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Carrots – Cut into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 large Onion – Peeled and quartered
- 4 stalks Celery – Sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic – Peeled
- 1 1/2 tsp Ginger – Fresh, grated is best.
- 6 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 1/2 cups Milk
- 1 cup Cream
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Cardamom Pods – Freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 3/4 tsp Nutmeg – Freshly ground is best
- 1 dash Cinnamon – Ground
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt – To taste
- Black Pepper – To taste
- * 225 g medium-firm Tofu – * Optional: 1/2″ cubed
Instructions:
- Preheating oven to 425 degrees F, peel, if desired, and cut carrots into 1/2″ chunks.
- Peel and quarter the onion and leave the butt end on it to hold it together.
- Toss pieces in 1 tbsp olive oil and half of spices (not including brown sugar) and place them evenly on baking sheet greased or sprayed with cooking oil, or lined with parchment.
- Veggies should roast in oven for 30 minutes or until fork tender or golden brown in color.
- Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a stock pot on medium heat. Sautee celery until it's tender, which will take approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium low. Add roasted veggies (cut off butt ends of onion quarters first), minced garlic, butter, brown sugar, and rest of spices and sautee for another 5 minutes until vegetables lightly brown and are tender.
- Add chicken stock (and tofu, if desired). Bring to a boil on medium high heat, then lower to medium-low heat. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes partially covered.
- With a stick blender, blend the soup and leaving some chunky pieces of vegetables for a more diverse texture. You can completely puree the soup, if desired.
- Stir in cream and milk and return the soup to a simmer on medium low heat. * Tip: Be sure to taste test soups and stews before serving and adjust seasoning.
- Serve and Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream and garnished with chopped chives.
The tofu is left as an optional ingredient, but it makes this soup much more complete and healthy as tofu takes on any flavor you add it to. So, this tofu will add protein and a thicker, more creamy texture with no change in taste. It's a phenomenal ingredient that can help picky people, vegetarians and vegans get protein into their diet.
Other Options for Garnishing:
- Plain yogurt
- Float a few cooked kidney beans
- Dash of paprika or cayenne pepper
- Fresh, chopped parsley
- Fresh, chopped cilantro
- Freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger
- Artistically carved carrot rose
- Roasted carrot rose
- Roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- Grilled medallion of chevre (goat cheese)
This is a wonderful, basic harvest-type soup for the Fall or Winter, but that doesn't mean you have to stop there. Try using parsnips, squashes, sweet potatoes - even turnips, beets or leeks would make a marvelous concoction the whole family will absolutely love.
How about a mixture of a few different root vegetables? Hmmm...the possiblities!
Enjoy and "Eat Deliciously"!
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