Carrot Soup

The summer root vegetable, the carrot.

I just received a package of various carrots, sent to me by our friend Jim from The Chef's Garden, Inc., in Ohio (there are only 15 people who read this blog and half of you know Jim, so it is no surprise to you that Jim has a very particular purveyor of carrots that he uses...one of the many reasons we love Jim and wish we were him.)

But what to do with all these carrots? What my Mom does with lots of anything. Make soup.

Carrots peeled, an onion and some garlic. I'll set the strange purple carrots aside.

Carrots and onions sweated down for a few minutes...

And the whole garlic cloves added...

Stock and water to cover...

And simmered until the carrots are soft.

The concoction in a blender and blitz until smooth...

Then returned to pan and seasoned. (Anything blitz in a blender needs some time for all that air to deflate out of it...so simmered for a few minutes.)

I wish I had some annatto seads to make a red oil, but I don't. So red peppercorns, which won't do anything for color, but will taste great....toasted.

Then simmered and steeped in olive oil.

Cooled and strained. For swirling, all fancy like, on top of the soup.

Some fresh chives...

The purple carrots for garnish...

Chives and oil. Carrot soup. Lunch. What's a purple carrot taste like? Just like an orange one.