As I was going through my refrigerator last week searching for things to make for dinner, I came upon a realization: I had a ton of carrots! And I had just gotten my Farm Fresh to You box which had even more carrots…and fennel. So the creation of this soup was pretty much inevitable.
Carrot and Fennel Soup
A bunch of carrots (I had three large and about twelve smaller ones)
1 large onion, chopped
2 small fennel bulbs, chopped
Garlic, chopped (I used about six cloves, but measure on your own taste. Garlic is kind of personal)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Sprinkling of sugar (maybe 2 tbsp)
5 cups vegetable broth
Thyme (Again, to taste. I just sort of sprinkled a small pile in the pan)
Salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Heat olive oil at the bottom of a large soup pot. Add carrots, fennel, onion, and sugar to the pan and caramelize the vegetables. After about five minutes add the garlic. Add the thyme, salt and pepper and let cook, stirring frequently for another five minutes or until veggies start to soften. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let it boil away for about 30-45 minutes or until all veggies are soft. Transfer in small batches to a blender and whip until it’s all a big pile of orange mush (or use your fancy immersion blender…you know, the one I got rid of because I didn’t think I needed it anymore?). Return it to the pot and gently bring it back to an edible temp. Mix in heavy cream (you can skip this step if you want. It’s not necessary but it sure makes it taste more substantial). Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and a personal-sized baguette (courtesy of Trader Joes…as in I bought it there, not as in they donated it to my cause). If you have the energy, which I did not, make up a nice salad to go with it. Or grilled cheese when you serve the leftovers for lunch the next day.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful last day of 2012. My day would be better if I wasn’t working, but so far I have no complaints.
Does anyone have fun New Year’s plans tonight?
