Comfort vibes in a bowl.
Carrots get so sweet and unctuous when they're roasted. The Herby croutons are a cinch to make, and take the eating experience to another level. It's obviously not dessert, but could be eaten quietly (or secretly) just the same.
"If you don't have an immersion blender, you can easily blend it in batches, using a regular blender or food processor. Don't let that keep you from making this freaking epic soup."
Notes:
Roasted Carrot Soup with Herby Croutons
Ingredients: 1 pound 1-inch sliced and peeled carrots, 1/2 chopped yellow onion, 6 cups chicken stock, 2 cloves minced garlic, nub of fresh, peeled ginger, 1 tsp. dried thyme, sea salt and cracked pepper. For croutons: 2 cups rustic bread cut into chunks, 1-2 tsp. butter, dried thyme and oregano.
1. Preheat oven to 425*. Toss carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet 30-40 minutes until soft and caramelized with char marks. Turn frequently.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan, add onion and cook until browned. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken stock and ginger to onion and carrots, and bring to easy boil. Add carrots and simmer for 10 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and blend carefully with immersion blender until smooth.
5. For croutons: Heat a nut of butter in a pan over medium heat. Cut rustic bread into chunks, add to a pan with a sprinkle of dried thyme and oregano, and a pinch of sea salt. Roll bread chunks around until toasted.
6. Serve soup topped with croutons, cracked pepper and pinch of dried thyme.
Tip: Turn this soup into squash soup by roasting the same amount of butternut squash, and adding a large splash of apple juice before blending- very good.