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Yummy Carrot Puree...
One day we were eating at Morels Restaurant at The Grove, and I ordered this soup, which turned out to be one of the best things I'd ever had. I asked the waiter about it, and he went to the kitchen, and suddenly the chef was there saying it was so simple, and these were the ingredients.... I quickly jotted them down on a scrap of paper placemat, which I still have.
I never re-write recipes and put them in a file; instead, I keep the original "whatever" it's written on and store them in an ancient paper lunch bag. That way, when I take them out, I still have the full, sweet memory of how it came to join the others in the weathered bag. Included in the treasures are my Mom's recipe for her amazing Poppy Seed Cake and my Grandma's recipe for her dreamy Apple Butter (complete with admonition to go easy on the Clove, which I did NOT do the first time I made it!) They're like a lovely scrap book of experiences I can return to again and again.
I make this soup often, especially now for my Mom. The ingredients are indeed simple:
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Onion
- Salt
- Smoked Paprika
- Cardamom
- Chicken Stock
(And as I am like my Grandma in lots of ways, I will admonish you to go very sparingly on the Cardamom and Smoked Paprika... add them in just a little at a time, and taste!)
I usually use 1 large yellow onion, a small handful of homegrown garlic cloves, chopped, and at least 4 pounds of fresh, peeled carrots. I saute the onion & garlic in olive oil, then add in the cut carrots and chicken stock. I use Salt more heavily than I use the Paprika and Cardamom... I add these in in tiny increments until I get that yummy flavor.
After cooking for awhile, I use my immersion blender to puree; at this point, I sometimes add a bit more of the Smoked Paprika and Cardamom to taste.
I'm sure someone with more cooking chops than I could suggest a lovely garnish (I'm very open to suggestions!!), but we usually just devour it as soon as it's ready! Enjoy!
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