Carrot Soup (Video)

This soup celebrates the Apiaceae vegetable family.  If you’re not a botany fan, it’s the fancy name for the carrot family.  In addition to the working-class carrot, this diverse family includes the unassuming siblings parsley and celery.  However, another branch in the Apiaceae family tree includes the exotic relatives cumin, coriander and fennel.

To guarantee maximum carrot flavor, I bought the carrots from Stoke Farms at a local farmer’s market.

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And, since we’re highlighting vegetables, a vegan soup allows the pure vegetable flavors to shine.  Meat stocks and heavy cream add body to soups but mute flavors.  So, vegetable stock adds flavor while allowing the pure carrot taste to come through.  Moreover, to replace the cream, we’re using a cumin infused silken tofu puree.  Consequently, we maintain the vegan integrity without sacrificing taste.

While the tofu “cream” adds mimics the cream, the pickled fennel, celery and baby carrots add acidity and texture to the soup.  Last, the fennel frond and carrot green salad add an herbaceous touch to round out the soup.  In short, the soup delivers what Sledge Sisters call “Giving love in a family dose.”

Check out the video to see how the soup comes together.

Serves 4

Pickled Fennel, Carrot and  Celery Salad

1/3 cup pickled fennel (Recipe follows)

1/3 cup thinly sliced baby carrots

1/3 cup thinly sliced celery

1/3 cup fennel fronds

1/3 cup tiny parsley leaves

1 teaspoon olive oil

Pickled Fennel

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (a mandoline works well)

1 cup white wine vinegar

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon celery seeds

Place the fennel slices in an airtight container.  Bring the remaining ingredeints to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour the pickling liquid over the fennel.  Let cool, seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  The pickled fennel can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. 

Cumin “Cream”

8 ounces (228 g) silken tofu

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground (OR 1 teaspoon cumin powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the silken tofu and cumin in a blender and blend until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The “Cream” can be made up to a week in advance.

Yield:  A generous cup.

Carrot Soup

1 pound (453 grams) carrots, peeled and chopped into ½ inch (1.27 cm) pieces

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, roasted and tied in cheesecloth

3 cups vegetable stock, divided. (Or water.)

Place the carrots, brown sugar and corainder seeds in a medium sauce pot.  Add enough vegetable stock to cover (About 1-1½ cups).  Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and allow the stock to evaporate until almost dry, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove the spice bag and place the carrots in a blender.  Add 1 to 1½ cups stock and puree until smooth.  Strain and refrigerate until service.  The soup can be served hot or cold.  In addition, the soup can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.

Yield:  About 3 cups. 

To complete:

If needed, re-heat the soup in a small sauce pot over medium low heat.

Toss the pickled fennel, baby carrots and celery together.  In a separate bowl, toss the fennel fronds, parsley and olive oil oil together.

Pack ¼ cup of the fennel-carrot-celery salad in a 2 inch ring mold. Or, place a small mound in the center of the bowl.  Top with 2 tablespoons of the fennel-parsley salad.

Pour ½ cup of the soup around the salad.  Drizzle a generous tablespoon of the cumin “cream” around the salad.  Serve immediately.

Do you ever eat vegan? If so, we’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

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