Recipe: Carrot Soup

Carrot Soup 

2017 Chardonnay, HMR Vineyard
 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Carrots, peeled and diced
• ½ C Water, or enough to cover the carrots
• ½ C Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 T Tangerine or Orange Marmalade
• 1-2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 3-4 Drops Tabasco Sauce
• 1 ea Orange, juiced
• 1 T Shallot or Onion Powder
• 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
• 4 sprigs Cilantro, half chopped
• 4 ea Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
• ¼ C Focaccia Croutons
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions: 

Soup:

1. Simmer the carrots in salted water until soft, about 10 minutes; drain, reserving the liquid.
2. In a blender, combine carrots with olive oil and marmalade until smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid until desired consistency is reached. Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
3. Add the orange juice, shallot powder, and nutmeg. Mix with the chopped cilantro then return to the pot to serve warm or place in the refrigerator to chill.

Focaccia Croutons:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the focaccia into ½-inch squares; lightly toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.
3. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Final Notes: 
If serving hot, add the diced tomatoes to the soup and reheat. If serving cold, put the soup in bowls and decorate with diced tomatoes. Garnish with focaccia croutons and a cilantro leaf.