Cuddly Carrot Soup

I have a problem. I love carrots and I love soup but I have, until recently, been completely incapable of making them combine in a pleasing way. Carrot, though nice in small doses, can be pretty overwhelming when pureed and hot, sliding over the tongue. Maybe I’m picky but I find it a little too sharp- sweet and acidic at the same time. Basically, too loud.

I have a bad memory though and for the longest time I kept forgetting this. On cold, winter nights that called for a warm soup, I’d puree some carrots, throw them in a soup and wind up standing over the soup-pot frowning. My feelings towards carrot were the same way you’d feel about a friend you regret inviting over when you realize how high-energy and attention-needy they are  until they’re standing in your kitchen yapping away and you suddenly remember you had been hoping for a quiet evening. Carrot soup prickles my nose.

Despite carrot being a particularly difficult vegetable with which to work when making soup, I knew that somewhere out there, there had to be a match for her. Who could make carrot a more pleasing dinner companion? As I reflected on other difficult vegetables, I remembered how deftly potato works to smooth over leek’s rough edges in Leek & Potato soup and wondered whether it might not do the same for carrot here.

Sure enough, potato mellowed an otherwise high-strung carrot waaaaay out. Smooth and creamy and just sweet enough. Add a bit of cream for decadence and some spices for zest. Yup, served like this, carrot is downright cuddly.

Cuddly Carrot Soup

1 pressed clove garlic

2 diced onions

1 tablespoon maple syrup

5 cups peeled and chopped carrots

4 potatoes peeled and cut into pieces about 1 inch across

A few cups veggie stock

3 bay leaves

thyme

pinch nutmeg and/or mace

half a teaspoon of cinnamon

lemon zest

pinch of ginger

3 tablespoons cream
1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for a minute or two. Sometimes I drizzle in a spoonful or two of maple syrup at this point. 
2. Add the potatoes and carrots and let brown for about 5 minutes over medium heat. You can adjust the potato/carrot ratio depending on how intense you want the carrot taste to be. 
3. Add just enough of the veggie stock so that it covers about 2/3 of veggies in the pot. If the stock you are using is too strong, you can dilute it with water. This is the liquid base of your soup but you don’t want it to take control of the soup either. 
4. Add bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg and cinnamon.
5. Simmer over medium heat for a half hour.
6. Puree everything together.
7. Add lemon zest, ginger and cream.
8. Serve warm