Make Ahead
Autumn Harvest Carrot Soup
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Cook time 2 hours
- Serves 8 to 10
Author Notes
This recipe was on the menu for one of the first hands-on cooking classes I taught in the kitchen of our house in Chappaqua, New York more than thirty years ago. Of course, you can make this soup anytime of year, but I think there’s something especially nice about it in the fall. It’s great as a first course to a hearty, cold-weather dinner. It’s also comforting for lunch or maybe a Sunday supper, with grilled panini. My dad, who could eat hot soup three times a day, loved this one.
I always have a big bag of carrots in the refrigerator, so I can make this at the drop of a hat. (I only include the parsnip, sweet potato, endive, and pear if I happen to have them around.) When using only the carrots, I usually add a spoon or two of sugar to bring out their natural sweetness. My original recipe called for a spiced crème fraîche to be used as a garnish for the soup. For cooking classes, and for fancy dinners, that made sense, but now I find the idea a little precious, so I don’t bother. —Margot Mustich
Ingredients
-
1
medium onion
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1
rib celery
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8
carrots
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1
parsnip
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1
sweet potato
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1
head endive, bruised outer leaves removed
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1
ripe pear
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9 cups
chicken broth, divided
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salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Directions
- Coarsely chop the onion. Heat a large soup pot over a low heat. Add the olive oil and onions and “sweat” the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and semi-transparent. Slice the celery, add it to the pot and cook until the celery begins to lose its crunch, another 5 minutes or so.
- Meanwhile, peel and slice the carrots, parsnip, and sweet potato. Slice the endive. Peel, core, and cube the pear. Add all of the cut vegetables and fruit to the soup pot. Pour in 6 cups of the broth (keeping the remaining 3 cups to thin the soup later on). Turn up the heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, loosely covered, until the vegetables are tender, 1½ to 2 hours.
- Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly. Purée, using a blender, hand blender, or food processor, until velvety smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- Heat the leftover broth and use it to thin the purée to the desired consistency.
- If serving immediately, heat the soup again gently, stirring often, until it is piping hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with some crusty French bread.
- Note: If making the soup in advance, let it cool completely before refrigerating.
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