comfort essentials: killer carrot soup w/ a twist

How To Make comfort essentials: killer carrot soup w/ a twist

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  PREP/PREPARE
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  What will you need? This is a one-pot recipe, so you will require a good-sized pot with a lid that can hold all of the ingredients. In addition, since this soup is pureed, you will need an immersion blender, or a stand blender.
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  What is it? It is soup, but with a few additions that give it a depth of flavor not common with a traditional carrot soup.
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  What to serve with it? A nice salad is always good with soup, and some crusty bread would not be amiss.
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  How long does it last? Covered in the fridge, it will last 2 – 3 days; however, this soup can be frozen, and in that case, it will last several months.
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  Dem Bones, Dem Bones One of the ingredients in this recipe is veggie broth. If you have read any of my recipes, I always suggest you use stock… not broth. So, why am I reversing my stand on broth? Well, the main reason is there is no such thing as vegetable stock. You see, stock is primarily about bones… chicken bones, pork bones, beef bones, fish bones, the lot. The last time I checked, vegetables do not have any bones. So, although you will see products at the grocer that are labeled “Vegetable Stock.” There is no such animal. FYI: If you are looking for a substitute for freshly made vegetable broth, I have on occasion used, Better Than Bouillon, seasoned vegetable base… but do not tell anyone. That will be our little secret.
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  The Honey Depending on the sweetness of your carrots, you will need a bit of something like honey or maple syrup to balance it out. I would suggest adding a bit at a time, until you like what you have. In my case, I needed about two tablespoons of honey to get what I was looking for. You might need a bit more or less. Or, you might not need any at all.
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  Vegan If you want to make this soup vegan, substitute the honey with maple syrup, and the butter with a bit more oil.
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  Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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  Add the oil and butter to a pot over medium-low heat. When the butter melts, swirl the pot to mix with the oil, and add the carrots, onions, and fresh anise.
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  Add the cover to the pot and sweat the veggies, until tender, about 10 minutes.
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  During the sweating process, make sure the heat is low enough that the veggies do not brown, or HEAVEN FORBID, burn.
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  Remove the cover and add the ground fennel seed. Then raise the heat to medium and stir until fragrant, about 1 – 2 minutes.
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  Add the broth, raise to a boil, and reduce to a simmer, then simmer and stir for about 10 minutes.
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  Use an immersion blender or a stand blender to puree the soup. Blend Baby Blend.
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  If you are using a stand blender, let the soup cool slightly before blending. I use a Vitamix blender… What a machine.
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  After blending, return soup to the pot, add the remaining ingredients (except the honey), and stir for a few minutes, until it comes to a simmer.
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  Taste the soup, do you think it needs a bit of sweetness? Add a bit of honey, stir, and taste again. Continue adding a bit at a time, until you achieve perfection.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Serve while hot, maybe with a nice salad and some crispy bread. Enjoy
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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  Namasté
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