Smokey Roasted Carrot Soup with Turmeric

Velvety vegetable soups are made so simply with an immersion blender and prove, yet again, the deliciousness of a  few ingredients simply prepared.  This recipe was  inspired by the Your Best  Carrot Recipe Contest  Winner on FOOD52.  A consummate roaster of vegetables, here,  I do like the idea of more quickly broiling the carrots for  this  recipe.  You must watch them closely, though.

The ingredients in this simple carrot soup are staples in the SimplyCooking® Pantry.

smokey roasted carrot soup with turmeric

8  carrots, more if they are small

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1 tsp salt, Celtic sea salt preferable

4 cups vegetable stock

1" piece ginger, peeled

1 tsp dried thyme

1  onion, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

Water as needed

Peel and slice the carrots into 1/2" coins.  Place them on a rimmed baking, toss with 2 Tbsp. oil and sprinkle with salt.  Broil until the carrots are very soft and tinged brown, turning with a spatula and testing for tenderness every few minutes.

As the carrots roast, place the stock, ginger and thyme in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes.  In a second large saucepan, warm the remaining 2 Tbsp.  oil.  Add the  chopped onion and turmeric and saute until soft.  Add the roasted carrots.  Add the infused broth to the vegetables; remove the piece of ginger.  Bring the soup back  to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper and add water achieve your desired consistency. Garnish, if you like, with something like pea tendrils, a few almond slivers or some shaved Parmesan cheese and cracked pepper.