What’s a girl to do when she looks outside on a mid-October evening and sees that it’s snowing?! Well, panic of course. Then make soup! Seriously though — snow? In October? You’re killing me.
But never mind, at least it’s an excuse to make soup and feel cozy and perhaps buy a new adorable sweater? Ah-hmm.
I love this soup because not only is it super healthy, but it’s easy sort of ridiculously easy. An onion, some carrots — piece of cake. Speaking of onions — don’t you just love the way they smell as they slowly go from crisp and sharp to soft and delicate? Mmm, mmm. An immersion blender will make the process even easier, but a regular ole’ blender works great, too. Use the freshest ingredients you can, and remember that organic produce never hurts!
The soup’s topping—scallions and poppy seeds—might seem a touch weird, but oh do they work so well to give it the perfect finish!
Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds
Adapted from Food & Wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
1 quart water
2 pounds carrots, sliced 1/3-inch thick
6 large scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the broth, water and carrots to the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the scallions and poppy seeds and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the scallions are softened, about 1 minute. Set aside.
If you have an immersion blender, use it to puree the soup to your desired consistency (I made ours a bit rustic, with a bit of a bite). If you have a traditional blender, work in batches to puree the soup until smooth, pouring pureed mixture into a clean saucepan as you work.
Once pureed, stir in the cream and milk and simmer over medium heat, stirring. Season the soup with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Garnish with the scallions and poppy seeds, and serve. May be refrigerated overnight and reheated gently. Serves 12.
