Gingered Carrot Soup (adapted from The Frog/Commissary Cookbook)
A few notes:
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This recipe originally called for chicken stock. I use vegetable stock; you can make your own or use a good brand, such as Rapunzel unsalted cubes.
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This recipe originally called for 3 cups half-and-half. That’s too rich for me; I changed that to 1 cup half-and-half and 2 cups whole milk.
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The leeks and ginger are quite fibrous and may not become smooth in your blender or food processor. I use a mouli to puree the soup and strain the fibers out, THEN put it in a food processor. You may still need to strain it through a coarse sieve, but then you might also lose flavor and body.
1 c. thinly sliced leeks
1 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. olive oil
¼ c. chopped onions
¾ lb. carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3 large)
2 ½ tsp. (or more, to taste) grated fresh ginger
½ lb. all purpose potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, or 1 large
½ tsp. salt, or more if using unsalted stock
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-3 tsp. sugar, if carrots are not very sweet (optional)
1 ½ c. vegetable stock
1 c. half-and-half
2 c. whole milk
Finely chopped candied ginger for garnish (optional)
Soak the sliced leeks in cold water to remove any grit, then rinse well under running water. Melt butter and olive oil in a large sauce-pan. Add the drained leeks and onions and sauté until wilted and translucent. Add carrots, ginger and potatoes. Sauté and stir several minutes. Add the salt, pepper, optional sugar, and stock. Cover and let simmer until the vegetables are very tender and can be easily mashed with a fork (about 15 minutes). Puree through a food mill, then process in food processor or blender until very smooth. Strain if necessary. Blend in half-and-half and whole milk. Reheat carefully until hot, but do not boil. Soup can also be chilled overnight and served cold.
Garnish with candied ginger if desired.
Serves 5-6.