Carrot Soup with Ginger and Citrus

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• •High-powered blender or immersion blender
• •Fine grater or microplane for citrus zest

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the carrots

   Scrub the carrots well under cold water. If they came from a good source and the skins are thin, leave them on. The skins hold flavor and nutrition. Cut off the tops (save them for pesto or stock) and slice carrots into rough coins, about half an inch thick. They do not need to be uniform. They are going into the blender.

   Look for carrots with bright green, perky tops. Wilted greens mean the carrots have been sitting too long and will taste tired.
2. 2

   Soften the aromatics

   Warm the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and sweet, about five minutes. You are not looking for color here. Just softness.

3. 3

   Add ginger and garlic

   Stir in the minced ginger and garlic. Let them cook with the onion for one minute, just until fragrant. The kitchen should smell warm and alive. If the garlic starts to brown, add the carrots immediately.

4. 4

   Simmer the carrots

   Add the carrot coins to the pot and stir to coat them in the aromatics. Pour in the stock. It should cover the carrots by about an inch. Add one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the carrots yield easily to a fork, thirty to forty minutes.

   Homemade stock makes a difference you can taste. If you must use store-bought, choose low-sodium and add salt gradually at the end.
5. 5

   Blend until silky

   Remove the pot from heat and let it cool for five minutes. Working in batches if needed, blend the soup until completely smooth. A high-powered blender gives you silk. An immersion blender works directly in the pot and saves washing up. Either way, blend longer than you think necessary. The texture should coat a spoon like cream.

6. 6

   Brighten with citrus

   Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the orange juice and lemon juice. The citrus should lift the carrots, not overpower them. Add half the orange zest, reserving the rest for garnish. Taste and adjust the salt. The soup should taste like the best carrot you have ever eaten, with warmth from the ginger and brightness from the citrus singing in harmony.

7. 7

   Serve with care

   Ladle into warmed bowls. Finish each serving with a drizzle of good olive oil, a pinch of the reserved orange zest, a few fresh thyme leaves, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.

   Warming your bowls matters. A cold bowl steals heat from the soup. Run them under hot water or place them in a low oven while you finish cooking.

Chef Tips

• •Winter carrots, pulled after the first frost, are the sweetest you will find. The cold converts their starches to sugars. Seek them out at the farmers market between November and March.
• •The ginger should warm, not burn. Two inches is enough. If you prefer more heat, add a bit more at the blending stage and taste as you go.
• •This soup welcomes a swirl of coconut cream or a spoonful of plain yogurt if you want richness. I prefer it clean, but the choice is yours.
• •Save those carrot tops. Blend them with olive oil, garlic, and a handful of nuts for a pesto that honors the whole vegetable.

Advance Preparation

• •The soup keeps refrigerated for up to four days. The flavors deepen as it sits. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened.
• •Freeze without the citrus for up to three months. Add fresh orange and lemon juice after thawing and reheating.
• •The carrots can be prepped and the stock made a day ahead. Store separately and assemble when ready to cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 420g)