We call Chef Jeff the vegan-soup whisperer. He has an uncanny ability to coax incredible flavor out of vegetables and fruits to make soups that make even the most ardent meat lovers swoon. This carrot ginger soup is one of our customers’ favorites. It starts with slow-roasted carrots and fennel, lots of grated fresh ginger, a little bit of apple for sweetness, and a touch of nutmeg at the end for depth. I strongly suggest finding a whole nutmeg and grating it fresh for this soup; the aromatic deep flavor of freshly grated really makes a difference. I showed Chef Jeff a tip for grating fresh ginger that we use often in pastry: freezing it before grating removes much of the fibrous texture. In turn, he taught me his tip for peeling ginger: peel it with a spoon, and the rounded edge of the spoon easily separates the papery skin from the ginger flesh.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (910 g) carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into about 1-in/2.5-cm chunks
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces
- 1 celery stalk, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces
- 1 medium fennel bulb, leafy tops trimmed and bulb thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 2 in 5-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 6 cups (1.4 L) Vegetable Stock
- 1 small Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled, halved, cored, and diced
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C, and place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Spread the carrots on the baking sheet. Drizzle them with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle them with the thyme, 1 tsp of the salt, and ¼ tsp of the pepper. Roast the carrots for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender; roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots. Set aside.
- In the stockpot, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic; reduce the heat to medium; and sweat the vegetables, stirring often with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they soften and the onion is translucent. Stir in the ginger, add the roasted carrots and stock, and bring to a boil. Launch in (Chef Jeff’s lingo) the apple and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Working in batches, blend the soup in the blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, add the remaining 2 tsp salt, the remaining ¼ tsp pepper, and the nutmeg and stir well. Bring back to a simmer. If the soup seems too thick, add a little water or stock to thin it. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve. The soup may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.