Umami Carrot Soup with Mint

This is soup is one of the most delicious I’ve eaten. Even David, who is not a big fan of soups, declared this one a winner. This recipe is from the Herb Farm Cookbook.

“Food is said to have umami when it is at its peak of perfection, at the height of its season, handled with respect, and simply presented–a sublime, ripe peach, an impeccably fresh oyster, a bowl of sugary green peas cooked straight from the garden.” Jerry Traunfield, The Herb Farm Cookbook

And so this soup with its carrot-y goodness evokes umami, especially when the carrots are fresh and at their most ripe and delicious. The addition of mint tea is genius. You can’t discern it, but that’s the stuff that makes this soup special.

2 medium leeks (about 1.5 lb)
1 1/2 T dried whole coriander seeds
3 T unsalted butter
1 lb large sweet carrots (about 4), peeled and cut into 1/4 slices
1/2 C dry white wine
2 t finely chopped fresh ginger
3 C fresh carrot juice (i used 1 1/2 odwallas, but i hope to get a juicer soon)
1 t salt
2 C water
1 large bunch fresh spearmint (about 2 oz)

2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more if needed (i didn’t need it)

garnish: tiny mint leaves or thinly sliced mint leaves (while pretty, i liked the soup without the added mint garnish. the mint tea is SO subtle, that the garnish forced the minty flavor too forward.)

1. leeks
cut off and discard the tops of the leeks at the point where they turn from light to dark green. split them lengthwise in half, keeping the roots attached so that the layers will not fall apart, and wash thoroughly. thinly slice the leeds into half circles discarding the roots.

2. toasting the coriander
put the coriander seeds in a small dry skillet and place in over medium heat. shake the pan contstantly until the seeks begin to darken in color and smell wonderfully fragran and tasty’ be carful not to overcook. pour them out onto a paper towel to stop the cooking. using the towel as a funnel, transfer them to a spice mill and grind very fine. if you don’t have a spice mill, use a mini processor or blender. (i used a molcajete, which cooled them down well.)

3. vegetables
melt the butter in a medium (3 qt) heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. add the carrots, wine, and ginger. cook uncovered until all the liquid has boiled away, about 15 minutes, then continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly browned, about 10 minutes. don’t rush the step, for it allows the natural sugars to slowly caramelize. as the vegetables cook, keep scraping the bottom of the pan iwth the spoon to gather up andy brown bits. (i cooked much longer than 10 min; it took a while for the veggies to turn color. the moment a leek or carrot turned a bit brown, i proceeded to the next step.)

4. soup.
add the carrot juice, coriander, and salt. bring to a boil, cover and gently simmer over heat until the carrots are very tender, 20-30 minutes.

5. mint tea.
meanwhile bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. submerge the mint in the water, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let steep for about 20 minutes. strain the tea, squeezing all the liquid out of the leaves.

6. finishing the soup.
put half of the soup in the container of an electric blender (you can use a food processor instead, but the soup will be as smooth). hold the lid down with a dry towel and turn the blender on at a low speed so that the soup doesn’t splash up, then gradually increase the speed to high. add half of the mint tea. blend the soup until is is creamy and very smooth. pour the pureed soup into a second saucepan and repeat with the remaining soup and tea. when all of the soup is pureed, add the lemon juice and gently reheat. taste and add the additional salt or lemon juice if needed. ladle the soup into warned small bowls or demitasse garish with tiny mint leaves.

best when served with fresh bread baked by david. enjoy!

Advertisement