Author Notes
Your cold summer soup's best friend is ricotta whey, which provides a light, refreshing dairy under-note, without the heaviness of the cream you'll put in the same soup, come winter. When making Jennifer Perillo’s Creamy Homemade Ricotta – which you really must – you end up with more than 2 quarts of light but flavorful whey. Frankly, at this time of year, I cannot think of a better way to use it. (If you don’t make ricotta, don’t worry: you can use a touch of buttermilk.) Chilled soups can taste a bit flat, so I’ve boosted the ginger here by using ground as well as fresh, with a good bit of ground coriander. Also, the soup’s flavor comes through when it is just cool, and not ice cold, so take it out of the fridge a good half hour or more before serving. Make this as thin or as thick as you like. I find it more refreshing when it’s on the thin side. When I want a texture that’s more sheer, I halve and cook the onion with the carrots, but then remove it before blending the soup. Either way . . . . enjoy! ;o) —AntoniaJames
Ingredients
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1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
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1 tablespoon olive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)
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3 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
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1 ¼ pounds of carrots, scrubbed and sliced (1/2” slices)
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Knob of ginger about 2” x 1”, peeled and chopped (2 heaping tablespoons)
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1 tablespoon ground coriande
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2 teaspoons ground ginger
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Salt
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2-3 cups ricotta whey, or ½ cup buttermilk + about 2 cups of cold water, to taste
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Freshly ground pepper
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Mint or cilantro leaves for garnish
Directions
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Sweat the onion in the oil over medium low heat for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook over medium heat for about a minute, stirring frequently.
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Add the ground ginger and coriander, and stir well to coat the vegetables. Cook for about a minute and then add the chopped carrots, the chopped ginger, a good pinch of salt, and about 3 cups of water.
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Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook just until the carrots are fork tender – it should take no more than 8 - 10 minutes once the liquid is simmering.
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Strain the solids, reserving the cooking liquid. Let both cool for 10-15 minutes. (They'll cool more quickly if separated.)
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Process the vegetables with a few tablespoons of the cooking iiquid (and the buttermilk, if you are not using whey) for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides after each minute. Give it a good stir and if you see any chunks whatsoever, even if small, process for at least another minute.
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Add the cooking liquid and process for about a minute. Then add the whey (or cold water, if using buttermilk) and process for another minute.
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Test for salt and correct. Let cool. Refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving; check for salt at the temperature at which you’ll be serving and correct if necessary. Grind black pepper and stir it in before serving. Garnish with mint or cilantro leaves.
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Enjoy!! ;o)
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NB: This soup is also delicious warm!!
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