We discovered this soup last fall when we had a LOT of freeze-damaged carrots to use up. Happily, it works just as well with A-grade carrots which are plentiful in the farmstore right now. The original recipe was in Cooking Lite Magazine, Nov. 2018, and we did not alter it much—though we usually end up making it without the cilantro garnish, and often without the avocado (don’t you wish we could grow those here?. It’s a good satisfying fall and winter soup, and with the blended-in beans and the lentil topping, it packs some good long-lasting protein into the soup bowl.
Farm ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds carrots roughly chopped, or about 3 cups (one bunch or one farmstore bag should do it, with a few carrots left for snacking)
2 cups chopped onion
1 fresh hot red chili, chopped (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes)
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped cilantro (1-2 bunches)
Other Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 Tbsp red curry paste
2 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 can unsalted cannelini beans, drained (or 2 cups cooked at home)
3 cups good broth or stock (chicken broth was delicious, or you can use vegetable stock to keep it vegan)
1 can coconut milk (recipe calls for 'light' coconut milk, but we went with full fat...chose your style, maybe depending on how much farmwork you plan to do that week)
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 ripe avocados
1 cup cooked lentils (optional, but a really nice addition)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Toss carrots, 1.5 teaspoons of oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Roast at 450 till the carrots are fork-tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a heavy pot over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring often, till lightly browned, 10-15 minutes.
Add curry paste, grated ginger, and crushed red pepper to pot and cook, stirring constantly, untill fragrant, one minute or so. Add the cooked carrots, beans, stock, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer about 5 minutes.
Add coconut milk, and blend with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender) till smooth. Return to heat and heat gently, to not quite boiling.
Stir in lime juice and black pepper. Divide soup into bowls, and top evenly with the cooked lentils, cilantro, and thin slices of avocado.