the spice is right

What to get...

• 10 small carrots
• 1/2 sweet, white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large baking potato, peeled & sliced into chunks
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
• 3 sprigs rosemary, for roasting carrots
• 2, 14.5 oz cans low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 saffron strands
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ** 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I am changing this to 1/2 tsp from 1 tsp, from great reader feedback, it was too hot!!!)****
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 T fresh orange zest
• 1/4 cup white wine, for sautéing onion
• S&P
• EVOO, for roasting carrots
• 2 T butter, for sautéing onion
• 6 strips bacon, to cook in oven as topping
• sour cream, for topping soup
For Rosemary Citrus Croutons:
• 2 large pieces sourdough bread, I use whole wheat sourdough, cubed
• 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 T orange zest
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 T shredded parmesan cheese blend
• 3 T EVOO
• 1 T balsamic, I used blackberry balsamic
• S&P to taste
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

What to do...

Roast Veggies:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Peel carrots and potato, cut into chunks.
3. In roasting pan place carrots & potato and drizzle with EVOO (about 3 T).
4. Add sprigs of rosemary and salt & pepper.
5. Roast uncovered for about 30 min.
6. Check tenderness, then add 1/4 cup water, cover and roast till tender, about 30 more min.
7. Remove from oven, cool slightly and cut into smaller pieces.
Make Bacon & Croutons:
8. Reduce oven temperature to 375.
9. In bowl combine all ingredients for crouton marinade except bread, whisking well.
10. To bowl, add cut bread and toss, coating bread well.
11. Spread bread out onto an oiled baking sheet.
12. Bake in oven, stirring occasionally to make sure all sides are browning and not sticking to pan.
13. Bake about 10-15 min, until crunchy throughout.
14. At same time, place strips of bacon on baking sheet & bake in same oven until crispy, about 15-20 min, cool & drain on paper towels, set aside for crumbling on top of soup.
Make Soup:
15. **We'll be using a handheld immersion blender for this. if you don't have one, you'll have to run batches of soup through your food processor or blender.
16. In large soup pot/enameled dutch oven, melt butter, add chopped garlic, celery, onion.
17. Begin to sauté, then add 1/4 cup white wine, salt & pepper, to sweat-out until tender/translucent.
18. Add rosemary.
19. Meanwhile, in bowl add cream & milk & warm slightly. Add saffron threads, let steep.
20. Once aromatics are tender on stove, add chopped roasted carrot and potato, stir.
21. Add 1 can of chicken stock, and all dry seasonings. Let simmer about 10 min.
22. Next use immersion blender & purée until smooth, with no chunks remaining.
23. Add orange zest.
24. Turn off heat and once soup is slightly cooler, stir in steeped saffron milk mix, combine.
25. Return to heat, mixing in 3/4 of second can of broth slowly, to incorporate for a smooth consistency.
26. Add more S&P as needed.
27. Serve warm with little bit of sour cream on top, followed by crumbled bacon & croutons!

Notes

http://www.dinnervine.com/2012/04/roasted-carrot-soup/

from the kitchen of www.dinnervine.com