Cozy Cameo: A Spoonful of Fragrant Spring

As winter makes its final hurrah and the inklings of early spring usher in the hues of the warmer weather to come, I find myself craving vibrant flavors with smooth complexity in the eye-popping shades of the season about to be born. A gentle nudging, a “sneak peak” into what’s to come, is provided in colors, flavors and textures, with wispy-thin reminders of what has just been.

Now, I crave a light, but still warming, soup. Bright orange, sweet carrots and spicy, tangy ginger root coupled with the cool, calm creaminess of rich coconut milk blend to form the exquisite flavors of a fragrant and lightly sweet soup. Simply made, utterly gorgeous and bold. To spring!

Taste what’s good and pass it on.

Ingrid

Fragrant Gingered Carrot and Coconut Soup
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Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated, fresh ginger
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon salt
3 cups chicken stock, hot
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 (13.5 fl oz) can coconut milk, 1 tablespoon reserved
Sprigs of chives

Preparation:

-In a medium-large pot set over medium-high heat, add the butter and the oil; once melted together, add the onion and allow to sweat for a couple of minutes; add the garlic and the ginger, and stir until fragrant.

-Once fragrant, add the carrots, sweet potatoes, brown sugar, pepper and salt, and stir to combine; add the hot chicken stock, and allow to simmer gently with the lid slightly askew, for about 20-22 minutes, until sweet potatoes and carrots are tender.

-Once vegetables are tender, puree the soup with an immersion blender (or if using a blender, work in batches using a towel, as soup is hot and may splatter) until completely smooth and silky.

-Once soup is pureed, finish with the can of coconut milk, the lime zest and juice, and stir to blend in; check and adjust the salt/pepper if necessary, ladle into bowls, and garnish with a couple of thin chives and a decorative drizzle of the reserved tablespoon of coconut milk.

Tagged as: carrot, coconut milk, ginger, soup