Warming trend: Carrot-ginger soup

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You can use organic vegetable broth, but you don’t have to, as any decent broth will do.

There are some recipes that are almost too simple to call recipes.

Let’s say you were thinking of a hearty soup to ward off the chill. But you wanted to stay on the leaner side of the scale, doubling down on the nutrition without invoking cream or porky goodness.

Then try this on for size: a thick soup that gets its body from carrot and sweet potato, with ginger and curry spices delivering a touch of the tropics while you huddle around your bowl and wonder whatever happened to global warming.

Carrot-ginger soup

4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
1-1/2 cup sweet potato, peeled, 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic, onions, salt and curry powder. Stir often, until onions are translucent. Add ginger, stir for 2 minutes, until ginger is fragrant. Before the onions brown, add the carrots and sweet potatoes. Stir to mix thoroughly, and add vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until carrots are tender, stirring frequently. Turn off heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender (or let cool more thoroughly, and puree in batches in a blender or food processor). Taste and adjust salt, and add fresh ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

The result is hearty but almost ascetic in its simplicity. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s vegan. It also can be adjusted any number of ways - it’s so flexible it’s practically double-jointed.

Cayenne or Sriracha would make the spicy-food fans pleased, while others might like the way stirring in a spoonful of plain yogurt or (gasp) sour cream might add richness. If there’s a bottle of truffle oil languishing in your cupboard, perhaps a few drops might go to a good cause.

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Filed under food, nutrition, recipes, soup, vegan, vegetables