Carrot Soup w/ Apple and Ginger

This post will be quick because I've already posted my carrot soup recipe but I've got some additional thoughts about it.

First thing is that the flavor of your carrot soup is directly affected by the taste of your carrots. Carrot soup in the winter and carrot soup in the spring are two different soups, even if you buy grocery store carrots versus Farmers Maket carrots it will turn out slightly different. Carrot soup is very similar to butternut squash soup, so when that delicious winter squash is gone simply use carrots.

To be honest I really wasn't looking forward to making OR eating carrot soup, but it turned out fabulously. The first batch I made was simple, onion, celery, carrot, good chicken stock. It was fine.... But to me it was missing something....something a bit sweeter....an apple maybe? I slpit the batch in half and diced up a Granny Smith, back in he PC for 3 min., puree again with some fresh ginger and wow! I have to say that I liked this soup both hot and cold. In fact I think the more apple you add the more conducive the soup is to eating cold. Perfect for summer. I also bought a Pippin apple thinking I may want a bit of tart....oh well, maybe next time. A couple of years ago I posted my recipe for red beet applesauce and I can tell right now that apple carrot sauce, (when apples are in season) is going to be a definite.

Of course you could use a fruit that is in season right now, maybe peach? Or maybe after it's cooked, puree it with cantaloupe....am I getting weird here?

Basic Carrot Soup

1-2 tbl olive oil

1 large onion diced

3 celery stalks diced

2 1/2 lbs carrots, med chinks

6-8 cups chicken stock

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt

(optional 1-2 Granny Smith apples, freshly grated ginger)

Heat olive oil in a 4 qt soup pot (or PC), saute onion and celery until translucent (4-5 min), add carrots and stock. (if adding an apple or two it would be at the point). Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover pot and cook until carrots are soft, about 20 min. If using a PC, lock lid inplace, bring to high pressure, lower heat and cook under pressure for 5 min.. Let the pressure come down naturally.

Puree in batches in blender when cool enough to handle, OR, use and immersion blender! (you would add fresh ginger just before pureeing.) Season with salt and pepper if needed.

I added some diced, perfectly poached, chicken breast meat to my soup. I swear I'm going to post how to poach chicken breast in the PC soon! I took some video at 5:00am on Monday, but I didn't like how it turned out....I'm trying though!

PS I did, in fact, add some almond butter to my soup recipe but I did not feel that it made that much of a differnce to suggest it. But if you want to try it you would add 2 tbl almond butter (or PNB) to the sauteed onion and celery about 1-2 minutes before you add your carrots and stock.