Carrot Soup

I whipped this up because I bought an enormous package of baby carrots at Costco. I knew when I bought it that it was too large a bag and I would never eat that many carrots. So after many nights of sauted carrots, steamed carrots, and carrots in salad, I had to make a soup to use up what was left before they went bad.

Carrot Soup
feeds 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a full meal

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 a large onion, diced
1 clove garlic
3 cups diced or baby carrots
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper, if desired
sour cream or creme fraiche for garnishing

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat and add onion. Let sweat for a few minutes, then add garlic. Don't let your heat get too high - we are not looking to caramelize the onion, just sweat and soften it. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the water. Add the cumin and ginger.

After a few minutes, add the carrots and turn heat down to medium low. Put on the lid and let the carrots cook with the onions for a few minutes. Add the chicken brothe. Replace lid and let carrots cook until softenend.

Add the contents to a blender and blend until smooth, adding additional chicken broth if necessary. You can also use an immersion blender in the pan. Return to the pan to heat through and finish with the cream and a teaspoon or 2 of butter if desired. Add more broth until you have your desired consistency and salt and pepper to taste. You can add a dash of cayenne pepper if you want more spice.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.