This is my variation on the
Young Carrot Soup recipie from
The Thorough Good Cook. Included here are more precise measurments and easy-to follow instructions, also I've included variations for both Vegetarian and Vegan versions. This version has also been modified to use ingredients found in modern supermarkets. It's a really good soup when served hot on a cool fall or winter day, and the color really makes one think of autumn.
Share and Enjoy!.
Ingredients:
5-6 Carrots
1 Turnip
1 Large yellow or white onion
4-5 celery stalks
2-3 green onions
1 quart of vegetable broth
1 quart chicken broth
Butter or vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Cream
Instructions
Thinly slice your onion and dice your celery
coarsely.
In the bottom of a large
pot melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter (or place a few
tablespoons of vegetable oil for you
vegan types), Begin fry your onions until they begin to caramelize. Once the onions are slighly caramelized add your celery, green onions (cut into 1" lengths"), turnip (cubed about 1") and carrots (peeled and cut into 2" lengths). Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add 1 quart of chicken and one quart of vegetable broth (you can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for
vegetarian offerings). And bring to a boil. Once a boil has been reached simmer under medium low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the stove and strain the broth. Place the vegetables in a bown and return the broth to the pot. From the
bowl of (now very boiled) vegetables remove the carrots and little or all of the turnip and place into a blender or food processor (if a bit of onion clings to a peice of carrot don't worry about it, but it's important to ensure
no celery is transfered as this will harm the texture of the soup). Cover with broth and blend until smooth. Put the
puree into the pot with the
broth and bring the heat back up. Cook for 5-10 minutes under medium heat. Stop. Now test the
flavor. If your carrots were not very
sweet now is the time to add a few tablespoons of sugar. Add some fresh ground white pepper (white is better, but black can be used as well, white pepper will not add black "specks" in your soup), a pinch or two of salt. Taste after adding each seasoning.
Immediatley prior to serving heat the soup and add an ounce of cream into the bowl. This turns the soup from "good" to "
oh my god, this is sex on a spoon". Vegans can omit the cream and still enjoy a good soup.
Hints & Tips
I can't emphasize that you taste this
soup often during the
final phase. When I first made this soup it went from "eh..." to "great" during this final stage (finally reaching "
divine" after adding the cream.
Adding a pinch or of salt after adding a bit of sugar can enhance the sweetness of the soup, this will also help keep the sugar content down.
Use a low sodium broth (I prefer the
organic broths that come in cartons), salt does not
evaporate and is difficult to remove once a soup becomes too salty, this soup does reduce a bit and that will
concentrate any salt already in the soup. This is also why we do not season until the final step.
This soup is great for
entertaining. It's light enough on the
stomach to serve as a first course. make up a batch the day before, refigerate, then heat and add the cream immediatley before serving.