Refreshing Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup

Late spring, early summer means fresh-from-the-garden carrots, and if you subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture Box, or CSA, you may be suffering from carrot overload. With a nod to the flavors of Thai cuisine, add ginger, basil, and mint, for a refreshing chilled soup that will have you rethinking the humble carrot and have your guests talking.

Paired with La Crema Bennett Valley Viognier, this make ahead soup is perfect for either your next dinner party or casual picnic.

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With a nod to the flavors of Thai cuisine, add ginger, basil, and mint, for a refreshing chilled soup that will have you rethinking the humble carrot and have your guests talking.

A fresh, simple ingredient list provides a nourishing chilled soup for hot summer days.

With a nod to the flavors of Thai cuisine, add ginger, basil, and mint, for a refreshing chilled soup that will have you rethinking the humble carrot and have your guests talking.

When serving, let guests top their soup with a pinch of basil, mint, and optionally chili pepper. If basil and mint are sliced similarly, be sure guests get equal amounts of both.

Refreshing Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup

Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6

With a nod to the flavors of Thai cuisine, add ginger, basil, and mint, for a refreshing chilled soup that will have you rethinking the humble carrot and have your guests talking.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound organic carrots (approximately two small bunches), peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced (roughly 3/4ths inch)
  • 1/2 cup carrot juice
  • 16 ounces chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 medium organic onion, thinly sliced lengthwise from root to stem
  • 2 stalks organic celery, chopped in 1/8 inch pieces
  • 2 ounces to 4 ounces coconut milk
  • Mint, julienne or cut into thin strips
  • Salt to taste
  • Chili pepper, seeded and diced
  • Basil, julienne or cut into thin strips

Instructions

  1. Steam carrots with ginger for about 20 to 25 minutes, until fork pierces carrot easily.
  2. While steaming carrots, sauté onion and celery, until translucent. About 5-10 minutes.
  3. Combine carrot juice and stock.
  4. Toss your steamed carrots, sautéed onions and celery into a medium size bowl and let cool.
  5. When cool, begin puréeing the vegetables.
  6. Work in small batches, approximately an eighth of the vegetables to 1/2 cup of stock and carrot juice mixture. (If you have an immersion blender, combine the stock and carrot juice mixture with the vegetables and blend. You’ll get to a smooth consistency much faster than the small batch method needed if using a blender.)
  7. Strain each batch through a fine mesh colander. Put the purée caught on the strainer back into the blender, add another eighth of vegetables and 1/2 cup stock and carrot juice mixture, and repeat.
  8. Continue this process until your soup is smooth, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on how finely you diced and thinly you sliced your vegetables.
  9. When finished, add two to four ounces of coconut milk to thin the soup. Put finished soup into the refrigerator to chill.
  10. To serve, take the soup and the La Crema Bennett Valley Viognier out of the refrigerator, ten minutes before guests sit down to eat. If storing your soup in a thermos for a picnic, shake before pouring.

When serving, let guests top their soup with a pinch of basil, mint, and optionally chili pepper. If basil and mint are sliced similarly, be sure guests get equal amounts of both. Fresh basil can overpower the mint, so be careful not to top with more basil than mint.

For a light summer meal or mid-week in-town getaway, grab a bottle or two of La Crema Bennett Valley Viognier and pack a picnic lunch of this chilled carrot ginger soup and apricot and avocado spinach salad. Head out to your nearest park, favorite tree, or spot of grass and enjoy a mini summer vacation.

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