Carrot Soup Is Cozy and Bright on Cold-Weather Days

Experiment and make this soup your own with the choice of blender, stock, milk, and spices. (Ann Stratton/TNS)

Carrot soup is one of those dishes that uses basic ingredients and becomes a source of comfort during the winter months. Carrots are a member of the parsley family, which also includes caraway, coriander, celery, parsnip, and dill. The herbs perk up the overall carrot flavor.

There are many varieties of carrots available to you at the supermarket. I select carrots that are on the smaller side, bright orange with smooth skin. Walk by if they look limp and over the hill. If you have any questions about how sweet the carrot is, ask your greengrocer to cut you a piece to make sure you are getting the best flavor. If you opt for vegetable stock, this will delight the vegetarians at your table.

This soup is seriously simple to prepare. The leeks, carrots, and potatoes simmer in a rich vegetable or chicken stock. Then, seasonings are added. If you use a food processor or hand blender, you’ll need to add the half and half to give it a rich balanced flavor. A high-powered blender creates such a creamy texture and flavor that you may just need to add a little more stock and no dairy. You can decide what you prefer.

One thing to remember is that if you are using a blender with hot ingredients, make sure to remove the center piece from the blender and cover the blender with a kitchen towel so you don’t have to scrape the soup off the ceiling! I like to serve the soup with cheese toasts that are crisp and complement the soup beautifully. It is also a lovely first course.

Here’s a fun variation: You can change up the soup by substituting coconut milk instead of half and half and adding fresh, chopped ginger and a toasted coconut garnish. Omit the thyme and dill, and try a bit of ground cumin.

Carrot Soup With Fresh Herbs

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 medium leeks, light green and white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 4 large carrots (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
• 2 yellow or Idaho potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/4 teaspoons dried leaf thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups whole milk or half and half
• Salt
• Pinch of finely ground white pepper
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

For Garnish

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, 1 teaspoon dried dill weed or fresh chives

Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan or soup pot on medium-high heat. Add leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes and sauté another 5 minutes or until slightly softened.

Add vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and add thyme and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, for about 25 to 30 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Puree in a food processor or blender and transfer back into the saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with dill or chives just before serving.

Advance Preparation: The soup may be kept covered for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and taste for seasoning.