Carrot Orange Soup

Carrot and Orange Soup with Micro Mesclun

When the air starts to crisp up, the leaves start to fall, and your garden starts to fill up, you know that fall has finally arrived. Whether you are happy about that is another matter.

For me, fall is an exciting time, as there is a lot of produce that comes into season. Food is available all year round, thanks to the glorious invention of the automobile. That privilege comes with a price; our food ends up tasting like nothing. This is why local produce is so important.

Here I have a combination that is a little out there. Carrot and Orange soup. Boring, right? Hold on there- with carrots at their peak season right now, you are about to embark on a great opportunity. Following is a recipe that is streamlined to showcase this beautiful ingredient.

Carrot and Orange Soup

Makes 2 L

Ingredients:

• 30 mL (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled, diced
• 6 carrots, peeled, diced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 L (4 cups) vegetable stock (*see note)
• 30 mL (2 tablespoons) orange juice concentrate
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
• To taste salt
• To taste pepper

Method:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat until the oil just begins to shimmer.
2. Sweat onions and carrots in oil over medium heat until the carrots soften.
3. Add garlic; cook one minute.
4. Add stock; raise heat and bring mixture to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.
6. Add orange juice concentrate and thyme leaves.
7. Puree mixture in batches until teh soup is a smooth consistency.
8. Place back into pot and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

* I am a firm believer that when you are showcasing an ingredient like carrots, you need to have a neutral base. Soups are traditionally made with a meat-based stock, like chicken. I prefer a vegetable stock, as I want to eat a soup that tastes like the featured ingredient, NOT like the featured ingredient with chicken.

Tagged as: carrot, orange, soup