Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup

I never thought that I’d be so in love with carrot soup.

Part of the appeal its bright, florescent orange color. It also just works. In a soup form, the common carrot becomes a culinary star, a far cry from its usual role in the mirepoix threesome along with celery and onion.

I had a yummy creamy cold carrot soup last week at a little bistro in Montparnasse, Le Chameleon, and vowed that I would try to make my own after that. I recently read an essay written by Alice Waters on vegetable soups, who said that starting slowly, with a base of onions and fat, is the best method for making any vegetable soup. So, with that in mind, I built my soup. Simple, easy, and deceptively rich and creamy – without a drop of cream, even.

Of course you can eat this soup hot, if you like. But I like it cold, with a piece of torn baguette on the side.

Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small white onion, diced
2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or diced finely
1 teaspoon cumin
sea salt
pepper

1. Put butter or olive oil in a large pot and add onions. Cook slowly and over low heat until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.

2. Add carrots and cook for a minute or two to coat carrots with butter or oil.

3. Add enough water to cover carrots by a couple of inches. Add ginger and cumin, too.

4.. Turn up heat to medium-high and let soup come to a boil. Then, turn down to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, tasting along the way for seasoning.

5. Let soup cool completely. Puree in a blender, then refrigerate. Top with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if you like.

Le Chameleon
6 rue de Chevreuse, 6th
01-43-27-43-27
Metro: Vavin