v:gourmet

This recipe is from my new friend Ninja, aka Eric Baxter, but mostly just Ninja. I met him at Vicki’s Veggies market stand at the Brickworks farmers’ market. We talked all things garlic, and bacon, and celeriac. He convinced me to buy a 5 pound bag of carrot seconds (you know, the ones that aren’t pristine but still fresh and tasty). I agreed as long as he gave me a soup recipe worthy of the organic vegetables I was buying (he’s a chef you know!). And, you know what? Ninja totally came through for me. He emailed me this insanely good recipe on this auspicious day before Halloween. I’ve made a huge pot and will feed it to the troops tomorrow night before they head out on their trick-or-treating-sugar-bender.

For the roasted garlic:

2 heads garlic, top cut off to expose cloves

olive oil

salt and pepper

Place heads of garlic on a sheet of tinfoil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake in a 350 degree oven until soft and starting to brown on top.

For the curry spice:

1 tbsp coriander seed

1 tbsp cumin seed

1 tbsp fennel seed

1 tbsp mustard seed

Combine in a pan and toast, tossing or stirring constantly over med-high heat until fragrant (may smoke a touch). This should take about 2 – 4 minutes. When done, let cool and then grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

For the soup:

2 heads roasted garlic

2 large onions, sliced thinly

5 lbs carrots

2 tbsp curry spice

1 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 litres veggie stock

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot over med heat add oil, once hot add onions with a pinch of salt, cook low and slow until caramelized, this should take 25-30 minutes, but it’s worth the time.

Rough chop carrots, toss in a large bowl with olive oil and light salt and pepper, place on a cookie sheet on parchment paper and roast in a 400 degree oven until slightly caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.

When onions are carmelized add the spices, cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, add carrots, and squeeze roasted garlic in, cover with veg stock and simmer until carrots are very soft.  Depending on carrots this will vary from 30 minutes to an hour, they should be almost falling apart.

Using a blender (immersion or standard) purée soup. Caution: if you are using a blender take the center piece out of the lid, place lid on firmly and cover with a folded kitchen towel, otherwise the gases cannot expand and you’ll have a terrible, hot mess!

Adjust soup consistency with vegetable stock (or water if you have to), it should be thick but not pile up on itself, season, and garnish with carmelized carrots and olive oil.  Enjoy!!!