[leeniek]

Well yesterday we decided that the soup of the day for today was going to be something with a carrot base because we had three five pound bags of carrots in the walk in and we only use maybe half of one bag in a week. I volunteered (well jumped at the chance..lol) to do the soup and it sold like hotcakes! The owner made a funny face when he came into the back and saw the big pot of carrots on the stove and even he tried it and said it was good. I kept the ingredients simple and the spices very subtle and customers were raving about it. (well that's what the servers said anyway...lol) To top it off I made crustini and I buttered it and seasoned it with garlic powder and black pepper.

So.. here's my recipe. It's for the big batch but you can easily halve the recipe.



Arlene's Golden Carrot Soup (yeah I named it after myself..lol)

10lb carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4" pieces
5 large spanish onions, sliced
butter (or oil or margarine.. doesn't matter which one you use)
24 cups chicken broth.. either homemade or made using chicken soup base
about 1/4 cup garlic powder (I think so anyway.. I just put it in until it looked right)
1 tbsp dried thyme
20 shakes of tabasco sauce

Heat the butter (or whatever) in a large saucepan and add onions and carrots. Let them sweat for about 15-20 minutes or until the onion is just translucent. Add your chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and using a hand blender puree soup. You might have to add a little water if the mixture appears too thick. Return to heat and add the tabasco sauce. Stir well and let simmer for another 30 minutes to blend the flavours.

Serve with garlic-pepper crustini (recipe below)

Garlic-Pepper Crustini

6 small baguettes or 3 large ones
butter or margarine
black pepper (freshly ground is best)
garlic powder

Slice the baguettes on the diagonal to about 1/2 inch thickness. Butter them and season them well with black pepper and garlic powder. Broil until golden brown and butter has melted.


To serve: place carrot soup in a bowl and top with one crustini.



You might notice that I have not added any salt in my recipe. It wasn't needed as the soup base I used and the tabasco both have salt in them. I also tend to either omit or undersalt when I make soups and I let the customers season them to their taste.

Enjoy the soup!

[petalsandcoco]

Arlene,


It sounds very good ! How many servings does this make may I ask , roughly ?



Petals

[Just Jim]

I love carrot soup!
I'm not a big fan of carrots, never eat them plain.
The first time I was offered cream of carrot soup I turned my nose up but tried it anyway.
OMG, I was hooked.
I usually make it with tarragon, sometimes dill, sometimes plain.
I never strain it, I like the mouth feel of the pureed carrot bits.
While I've made this soup with vegetable stock, or sometimes just caramelized celery, onions and some of the carrots, my personal opinion is that it's best when made with chicken stock.

Congrats on your soup!

[ED BUCHANAN]

Originally Posted by petalsandcoco

Arlene,


It sounds very good ! How many servings does this make may I ask , roughly ?



Petals

Sounds very nice. Try mixing in some peanut butter.

24 cups=6 qts or 1 1/2 gal or 192 ounces divided by lets say 6ounce cups=about 32 portions figuring cook down and tasting.

[petalsandcoco]

Thank you Chef ED,

When I saw it cooked for 2 hours , I was not sure about reduction but then she wrote there was a lid or cover.

Thank you for the calculation.

I have always used nutmeg but will try hers.


Petals

[leeniek]

Thanks, Ed for the portioning! When I left at 1:30pm there were maybe ten servings left.. it went that well. I didn't strain it either.. I like the taste and feel of little vegetable bits in my mouth and it definitely adds to the comfort factor of homemade soups. I will definitely try adding peanut butter next time. That soup is definitely one that's to be made again!

[ED BUCHANAN]

Originally Posted by petalsandcoco

Thank you Chef ED,

When I saw it cooked for 2 hours , I was not sure about reduction but then she wrote there was a lid or cover.

Thank you for the calculation.

I have always used nutmeg but will try hers.


Petals

Also Petals when you see a soup or all the ingredients and you want final yield. Normally I disregard the solid ingredients as these will compansate for the reduction of the total in volume. Just add up all the liquids by either qts or gallons and divide it by whatever size ounce portion you like. This will give you final yield.

[petalsandcoco]

Forgive me Chef Ed , longggg day. Your professional insight is always welcome. I better loosen my thinking cap !


Petals

[ED BUCHANAN]

Originally Posted by petalsandcoco

Forgive me Chef Ed , longggg day. Your professional insight is always welcome. I better loosen my thinking cap !


Petals

Nothing to forgive , I just like some of the things you try and see how interested you are. I only relate things to you to make it better or easier for you. If I can show someone who is really interested in things that I picked up along the way, That's Good . Now you in turn show or tell it to someone else.

[nichole]

Pretty interesting article you got here. Carrots are good to your health, by having this recipe really helps. I also like the idea of putting some peanut butter.

[Hotchpotch]

Carrots soups are delicious and healthy.

Two of my favorites (customers as well) were

Carrot Ginger Soup

And

Roasted carrots and caramelized onion soup.

I would make this with red or sometimes purple carrots for a stunning presentation.

When I did a culinary tour of Asia many years ago we were served a fantastic carrot and peanut soup – the suggestion of it hear brought back some fond memories.