Swift Carrots or Endura Carrots? Either will make you an excellent carrot stew prepared lovingly in a cooking pot with Fresh Milk, Goat Butter, and Tabantha Wheat. Luckily for the gluten-free folks this real world recipe is made without Tabantha Wheat. The real trick for the rich flavor of this carrot stew is roasting the carrots!
Step 1:
Cut the carrots at a steep angle about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Line a baking tray with parchment (buy FLAT parchment here!!) and preheat the oven to 375. Toss the carrots in oil and balsamic vinegar. The balsamic is optional and adds an intense umami flavor and richness to the soup. It doesn’t take much to add a lot of flavor – a little goes a long way. Spread the carrots out on the parchment in a single layer, sprinkle with kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt) and roast for 35-45 minutes until they begin to caramelize around the edges and a fork sticks into them easily.
While the carrots are roasting, add your onions, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and oil to a pan and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 2:
Add 4 cups of vegetable broth, carrots, garlic, onions, and spices to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Quick note about whole/dried chipotle peppers… In case you didn’t know, they are smoked jalapenos! Neat! The number of chipotles you use will be determined by your specific taste, but also how strong your peppers are. If you’re buying from a grocery store chances are they’re going to be pretty weak. I recommend using at least 2 if you’re buying from a local grocer. Spice companies like Penzey’s tend to be a lot fresher and therefor the peppers are much stronger. You’ll only need one if you have strong peppers. Trust me, it’s more than enough and you won’t even leave it in when you blend the soup together.
Smell is a big indicator for smoked peppers on how strong they’re going to be. If you smell it and instantly get a sinus full of pungent, sweet, smoky, complex richness then you know you’ve got a strong pepper. If you smell it and think “yep, that’s chipotle” but it doesn’t hit you in the face with its complex aroma, then you’ve got an older spice that’s going to be quite a bit weaker. Not to worry! They’ll both taste good. Just adjust the number of peppers you add to the soup accordingly.
After the flavors have gotten a chance to meld in the pot, remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. REMOVE THE CHIPOTLE AT THIS TIME and discard it. Working in batches, add vegetables and liquid to a blender until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
Step 3:
Adjust the thickness of the soup to your liking by adding 1 cup of vegetable broth or water at a time. Once it’s at the desired consistency turn on the heat and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice to lift the flavor until it’s just right. I typically only add lemon juice if I used balsamic to help balance out the richness. If I omitted the balsamic I usually leave it alone. Add salt if needed – if the soup tastes flat or bland, add more salt. Don’t be shy about salt, especially in a soup. There’s a lot of volume here to flavor.
Divide into bowls and top with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream per bowl and a sprinkle of fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Full Recipe
Ingredients:
2lbs Carrots
1.5 tablespoons oil, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
+3-4 cups water or vegetable broth
1-3 dried whole chipotle peppers
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 garlic cloves, whole
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Salt to taste
1/4 cup of heavy cream, divided
2-3 sprigs of mint, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
Step 1:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice the carrots at a steep angle about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in thickness. In a large mixing bowl, toss carrots with 1/2 tablespoon oil and balsamic vinegar (if using). Spread them out evenly on the parchment and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Roast the carrots for 35-45 minutes until the edges begin to caramelize and they are easily pierced with a fork.
While the carrots are roasting, add onion and remaining oil to a pan with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Saute until onions are translucent, about 5-8 minutes. It’s okay if they take on a little color.
Step 2:
In a large pot, combine 4 cups of vegetable broth, carrots, onions, garlic, and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. REMOVE THE CHIPOTLE before adding to a blender. Working in batches blend until smooth and return to the pot. An immersion blender works fine too.
Step 3:
Add the 3-4 cups of vegetable stock or water 1 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Bring back to a boil and then remove from the heat. Add lemon juice about 1/2 tablespoon at a time to lift the flavor, especially if using balsamic vinegar in the first step. If the flavor seems flat or bland, add large pinches of kosher salt until the desired flavor is reached.
While the carrots are roasting, add onion and remaining oil to a pan with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Saute until onions are translucent, about 5-8 minutes. It’s okay if they take on a little color.
Step 2:
In a large pot, combine 4 cups of vegetable broth, carrots, onions, garlic, and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. REMOVE THE CHIPOTLE before adding to a blender. Working in batches blend until smooth and return to the pot. An immersion blender works fine too.
Step 3:
Add the 3-4 cups of vegetable stock or water 1 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Bring back to a boil and then remove from the heat. Add lemon juice about 1/2 tablespoon at a time to lift the flavor, especially if using balsamic vinegar in the first step. If the flavor seems flat or bland, add large pinches of kosher salt until the desired flavor is reached.
Divide into bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of cream and a sprinkle of mint. Serve immediately.