When it comes to cooking . . . I love a challenge. And this recipe, for me, was a challenge.
While visiting family recently, an elder remarked how long it had been since they had had a good carrot soup. I was left wondering if I had ever even had carrot soup. Just the mention of carrot soup doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies like cream of broccoli or tomato bisque does it? I didn’t think so.
Playing around a bit with what would make this soup less . . . well, carroty – was interesting to say the least.
I’m happy to say that I found it in the unlikely pairing of fellow vegetable outcast – the beet. Yup. The beet. But to me the real infusion of flavor comes not just from the main ingredients but the addition of a Parmigiano Reggiano rind and 3 bay leaves simmering over medium heat for a couple of hours.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed creating it. I recommend serving it with a fresh slice of homemade bread and garnish with Romaine lettuce and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Time:
This takes about 2-3 hours from start to finish.
Ingredients: 
- 3 cups carrots (chopped)
- 1 1/2 cup beets (chopped)
- 1/2 cup purple onion (chopped)
- 1 tsp Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Seasoning (Original Mixed-Up Salt)
- 1 tsp Savory Spice Shop Herbes de Provence (Salt-Free)
- 1 tbsp Savory Spice Shop Tomato Powder
- 3 dry bay leaves
- 1 – 3″ x 2″ Parmigiano Reggiano Rind (I bought mine from Whole Foods)
Directions:
- Bring 6 cups of water and all ingredients to a rapid boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes and reduce heat to medium – medium high for 30
minutes. Stir occasionally and continue to cook until carrots and beets are soft. - Remove bay leaves and Parmigiano Reggiano rind and set aside.
- Drain and set aside carrots, beets and onion in mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly. (I prefer using the wire hand masher)
- Add bay leaves and Parmigiano Reggiano rind back to broth an bring back to rolling boil. (remove these before serving!)
- Add in carrot/beet/onion mash to boiling broth and reduce heat to medium.
- Cook covered for additional hour or two over medium – to medium low heat.
Serve with fresh baked bread and garnish with hand torn romaine lettuce and Parmesan cheese.
—
What carrot recipes have you created or tried lately?
