A snowy day in Portland

A snowy day in Portland, rarely do we get them. A free day to do what ever you want: read a book, take a nap, pay a bill, but me, I’m going to make soup. Don’t want to go outside, don’t want to drive, so I scavenge in my fridge for a free meal. I stand with the door open, looking for a combination to fill a pot. I spy a two-pound bag of firm orange carrots, one and a half onions, a half-inch piece of ginger, two tangerines with skin like an old man, and a jar, almost empty, of my new favorite chicken bouillon. Watch me, stay with me in the kitchen and we’ll prep and transform this orange pile of goodness into a rich, warm, filling carrot soup.

I start by melting four tablespoons butter in a large stockpot, toss in the chopped onion over medium low heat, cook till tender and no longer opaque to keep their sweetness.



Measure 4 cups of warm water and stir in 4 teaspoons of the chicken bouillon. Pour this over the onions and raise the temperature to medium. Scott introduced me to Better Than Bouillon chicken base. It’s now an essential on my shopping list. The vegetable and beef bouillon are excellent also.



Add the sliced carrots and ginger to the stock and bring their bath to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the carrots are fork-tender.



Strain the soup, and puree the solids in a blender or food processor until smooth. I add a little of the hot broth as it processes.



Then return the puree to the pot, add the tangerine juice, and season with salt and pepper.





A white bowl filled with hot carrot-ginger soup sitting atop a red checkered cloth napkin and ak-mak crackers for dipping: hot goodness from the kindest orange vegetable grown -- the carrot.