Ginger-Carrot Soup

There are days when I slack off on my domestic duties and can't even bear to make the effort to toast a slice of bread or make my bed. Other days, I frantically scrub, bake, and neaten. I'm a whirling dervish of domesticity. Friday was one of those days. Here is a rundown of all of the useful things I did:

1. Washed and folded two loads of laundry
2. Went shopping at the Park Slope Food Co-Op (and lugged the groceries home)
3. Loaded the dishwasher (and unloaded it once it was done)
4. Cleaned the bathrooms
5. Made the beds and generally tidied up
6. Baked uber-hearty banana muffins (using honey, canola oil and whole wheat flour)
7. Cooked up a big batch of carrot ginger soup.

In hindsight, I realize I made the soup simply so I could have an excuse to finally bought a hand blender. The kids were intrigued by the new toy, but I knew Avo would roll his eyes as yet another kitchen gadget crowding the pantry.

I was just finishing up with the soup when Avo walked in the door. I shoved a spoonful of the soup in his mouth and pretty much begged for praise. Before he could swallow the soup (or compliment the soup), I hurried out the door -- on my way to Manhattan to celebrate my friend Becky's 40th birthday. As I ran down the hallway, I called back to Avo, "eat the soup and then freeze the rest!"

"So how was it?" I asked the next morning.

"Not gingery enough for me. And I don't think you pureed it enough. I got some big chunks of carrot," he said.

Oh well. I guess I need to practice some more with the hand blender.

Luckily, I liked the soup just fine and will surely make use of the frozen leftovers.

Ginger-Carrot Soup (from Every Day Food)

SERVES 8

Ingredients

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 lbs carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- coarse salt
- ground pepper
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)


Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add onions, stirring occasionally until they are translucent (5 minutes).

3. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, ginger, broth and water.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender (20 minutes).

5. Puree mixture in batches in a blender until smooth. (for safety, you should let the soup cool a bit before doing this, and be careful of any splattering. Or use an immersion blender right in the pot).

6. Add sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

7. Return to pan and reheat over medium heat, adding in cream if you wish.

Disclaimer: That's not my soup in the photo.

In the summer months, I think this would be yummy chilled. Refreshing and oh so healthy.