Velouté de Carottes au Gingembre - Carrot Soup with Fresh Ginger

Velouté (ve-lu-te) is a French term which means velvety or creamy.  By tradition, velouté is made with egg yolks, cream and a roux of flour and butter.  Carrot soupe with ginger is fresh tasting and delicious!  This soupe tastes great hot, room temp or chilled.  Summer through fall is prime season for carrots and the best time to use them for cooking.

According to Worlds Healthiest Foods, carrots are best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient beta-carotene.  These delicious root vegetables are the source not only of beta-carotene, but also of a wide variety of antioxidants and other health-supporting nutrients. The areas of antioxidant benefits, cardiovascular benefits, and anti-cancer benefits are the best-researched areas of health research with respect to dietary intake of carrots.

Ingredients
Makes 10 Cups
2 lb bag of organic carrots, peeled and cut into smaller pieces.
1 medium sized onion, rough chop.
1 large garlic clove, peeled.
1 T fresh ginger, peeled.  Jarred ginger fine too.
1 C low sodium vegetable or chicken stock, bullion cubes can be used.
2 T unsalted butter or olive oil
4 T Flour (may use gluten-free)
Cream, half and half or dairy substitute.
Salt and pepper
Orange zest (OPTIONAL)
Baguette for serving (may use gluten-free)
Blender or immersion (stick) blender

Preparation
-Peel carrots and rough chop into smaller pieces.
-Rough chop onion.
-Peel garlic clove.
-Peel ginger.
-Zest orange (small amount) (OPTIONAL)

Directions
-Medium heat, in a deep soup pot, melt 2 T butter and sweat onions 5 min (stir onions to avoid browning them).
OPTIONAL - Add 4 T flour and mix for 3 minutes. Add 1 C stock and whisk until thick and blended.
-Add carrots and garlic.
-Add water and stock to 2 inches above the carrots. You can add more liquid later.
-Let simmer for 20 minutes until you can pierce carrots with fork.
-Add ginger and with caution puree in pot with the immersion blender OR very carefully transfer portions to blender. Use caution and hold the top of blender with a towel.
-After blended, put contents back into soup pot and taste.
-If it is too thick add a bit more water or stock.
-Add 1/2 tsp of salt and fresh pepper.
-Taste and add more salt as necessary.

Serving
-Serve into bowls with a ladle.
-Add a bit of cream or dairy substitute to the soup at the center of the bowl.  Take a spoon, swirl ream and serve.
-Garnish with fresh herbs and orange zest if desired.
-You will mix in the cream thoroughly before eating.
-Season as needed.

Bon Appétit!