Curried Carrot Soup

by Dana
(Dallas, TX, USA)

This soup tastes so elegant that most people would never guess how cheap it is to make! The brilliant orange color and spicy flavor are great for a cold day, although it is also very nice chilled in the summer. As an additional bonus, it's really good for you, too.




Here's what you'll need for four people:

1/2 pound carrots

1 small onion

curry powder

butter

vegetable/chicken broth or water

salt

pepper




First, dice the onion into half-inch squares, t heat a pat or two of butter in a soup pot and gently fry the diced onion until soft and transparent. If you'd like a sweeter flavor to the soup, continue to fry until the onions have caramelized.

While they're frying, peel the carrots and chop them into inch-long pieces. Using whole carrots will usually be much cheaper than pre-cleaned baby carrots; however, if there is a sale on baby carrots, make sure to check the prices on both.

When the onions are done, add the carrots to the pot and stir briefly, then add enough broth or water to just cover the tops of the carrots. If you use water, add a few pinches of salt and some pepper along with it.

Let the pot simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, then blend it until smooth and thick. If you'd like the soup to be thicker, let it reduce a little; if you'd like it to be thinner, add more liquid.

Add curry powder, salt, and pepper to taste, then let cook five more minutes and stand off the heat an additional five minutes to let the flavors meld.

Chunks of sweet potato boiled along with the carrot or a dollop of sour cream in bowls of the finished soup can make interesting additions without increasing the price of the ingredients too much.