Carrot Soup
With the temperature still dipping under 30, I’m still craving a nice bowl of steaming hot soup. This Carrot Soup is super easy and straight forward. It is silky and sweet thanks to the carrots and onions. The goat cheese adds a hint of tang as it melts throughout, balancing the sweet. The addition of cHarissa at the end gives it a little spicy kick – a nice, warm heat that stays with you on these frosty spring days. I have to just tell you quickly about this crazy condiment, cHarissa, that’s lucky to be on our shelves. This product, which I can one hundred percent assure you will be a constant in your life after you try it, is the bottled magic from a 90-year-old widower, as a tribute to his late Moroccan wife. Inspired by Harissa, a very spicy traditional Moroccan paste, Gloria and Earl honed their own personal blend over their 50 years together. The result is not only a delicious treat for us to use on literally everything, but also an inspiring story of love and wanting to share the love of good food with everyone. Enjoy!
-Queen Christine
Carrot Soup with cHarissa & Capri
1 pound carrots (about 8) peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
½ sweet onion, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 sprigs thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons cHarissa
1/3 pound Capri Chèvre, crumbled
¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons chopped chives
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
In a large stock pot, add onions and shallots to a little olive oil; season and sauté over medium heat, until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes.
Toss in the carrots, garlic and thyme; season and sauté about 1 minute, just until garlic is fragrant.
Pour in stock; cover and simmer on low, until the carrots are fully cooked and soft, about 30 minutes.
While soup is simmering, toast walnuts until lightly brown and fragrant, about 2-4 minutes.
Remove soup from heat, discard thyme sprigs, and puree with an immersion blender, until everything processed and smooth. Adjust seasoning.
Divide soup among 4 bowls, and garnish with the cHarissa, Capri, walnuts and chives.
Makes: 4 servings (6 cups prepared)