This recipe came from Slow Traveler Debrah, and it's a perfect spring time soup. It couldn't be easier to make either.
I love the spicy kick the ginger gives to this soup. I garnished it with some plain yogurt and a grating of nutmeg. It was delicious. Recipe and my notes are below.
And here's another spring flower. Many years ago, I bought a bag of mixed early spring bulbs and planted them around my yard. It was mainly crocus and hyacinth, but my favorite thing that came out of that bag are these miniature iris. They are right by the walkway to my door and are one of the earliest things to bloom every year, weeks before their much larger cousins, the bearded iris, will bloom.
Debrah writes:
Carrot/Orange/Ginger Soup
It's been favourite for at least 20 years. I used to make this when I was doing location catering for film and tv production in Eastern Canada and it was a guaranteed winner for the segment of the cast and crew who liked healthy and tasty! It tastes so rich and creamy but has no added fat - no butter, cream, cheese, etc.! (what's a little olive oil between friends!) This would be suitable for two for a meal or four for an appetizer.
One large onion - diced (or a combination of green onions and shallots)
Three cloves garlic minced or crushed
Three inch piece of ginger root - finely diced (more or less depending on preference)
Eight large carrots (diced)
One Large tetra pack of chicken or vegetable broth (4 cups)
One and a half cups of orange juice
Saute onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil on low heat to soften and start to carmelize for only 10 minutes. Put in carrots and saute for 5 minutes to bring out the sugars. Add enough broth to cover the carrots and simmer till carrots are tender.
Remove from heat, place a small amount of broth and all of the carrots into blender and puree until smooth. Pour back into pot, add orange juice and rest of broth (or water) until you get the thickness consistency you desire.
My notes:
I used vegetable broth and increased the ginger. I didn't use the whole 4 cup box of broth; I think I only used about 3 cups. Really good!
Comments (12)
The soup sounds great, but I LOVE that flower!
Posted by sheri | March 22, 2009 9:11 PM
Posted on March 22, 2009 21:11
That flower is just beautful! What color! I didn't know there were miniature iris.
Posted by Cindy Ruth | March 23, 2009 12:31 AM
Posted on March 23, 2009 00:31
Not a big cooked carrot fan but love ginger. The flowers are gorgeous! How long will they last?
And WooHoo for the Tar Heels!! I watched a little of the game yesterday when they were down a point (and I am not a bb fan). I was worried for you but they pulled it out! So glad they are moving on. When is their next game?
Posted by girasoli | March 23, 2009 12:59 AM
Posted on March 23, 2009 00:59
Hi Annie, your soup looks delicious. I like carrots and ginger although I have never had them as a soup before. The recipe does look simple.
I love your iris flower. It's so cool how it matches with your soup presentation too.
Have a great day Annie!
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | March 23, 2009 9:11 AM
Posted on March 23, 2009 09:11
Sheri and Cindy Ruth, thanks!
Girasoli, the little iris only last about a week.
And yes, I got a little nervous in that game but they did it! Next game is Friday night at 10 pm Eastern time. They play Gonzaga, a team known for being giant killers, so I'm a bit nervous about that one too. Go Heels!
Thanks Kathy and I hadn't even noticed that the soup and the flower photos match, but you are right, they do! Happy Monday!
Posted by Annie | March 23, 2009 9:40 AM
Posted on March 23, 2009 09:40
Another great recipe and the iris is gorgeous!
Posted by María I. | March 23, 2009 12:17 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 12:17
Annie, the soup looks delicious but I'm dazzled by the iris! What a beautiful photo, the colours are so vivid.
Posted by sandrac | March 23, 2009 1:21 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 13:21
Thanks Maria!
Sandra, I love blue flowers and there aren't all that many of them. These are nice because they come back every year with no help from me at all. :)
Posted by Annie | March 23, 2009 1:43 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 13:43
Wow, that's a showy little iris! I have lots of mini lavendar ones, they're also up now.
Posted by Amy | March 23, 2009 3:07 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 15:07
The flower looks amazing, Annie. I don't see many blue flowers.
Your soup looks good. So how much ginger did you use? Because I increased the ginger a bit too, or maybe more than a bit, and even though it was good, it had a little bitter taste to it.
Posted by candi | March 23, 2009 7:37 PM
Posted on March 23, 2009 19:37
Amy, I'd love to see the lavendar ones, I bet they are beautiful.
Candi, I guess I used a 5-inch piece instead of a 3-inch piece? Mine was very "gingery" but wasn't bitter. Did you peel your ginger? I did. I'm not sure where your bitter flavor came from - maybe the ginger you bought was old?
Posted by Annie | March 24, 2009 9:14 AM
Posted on March 24, 2009 09:14
Annie, maybe. I am trying the soup again.
Posted by candi | March 24, 2009 4:17 PM
Posted on March 24, 2009 16:17