Roasted-Carrot Soup

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Photo: John Kernick
Servings:
2

This warming carrot soup sized for two makes a perfect addition to a romantic Valentine's day meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion

  • 1 bunch carrots (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

  • 1 small Belgian endive, quartered lengthwise

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

  • Pinch of freshly ground pepper, plus more for seasoning

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock, plus more for thinning

  • cup heavy cream or milk

  • ¼ teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger, or to taste

  • Creme fraiche, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut onion into 8 wedges (keep root end intact to hold layers together). Toss onion, carrots, endive, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and spread in a single layer. Roast vegetables, turning occasionally, until edges are deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.

  2. Cut off root end from onion. Transfer all vegetables to a large saucepan, and add bay leaf. Add enough stock to just cover (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer, and cook until carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, and discard bay leaf. Puree vegetables and stock in a blender until smooth (work in batches, if necessary, to avoid filling blender more than halfway).

  3. Transfer puree to a clean pan; place over low heat. Stir in cream; add stock to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper; stir in ginger. If desired, pipe creme fraiche onto each serving, or place dollop on top.

Cook's Notes

You can make this soup through step two the day before your dinner; refrigerate, covered, until you're ready to finish.

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