Ginger Carrot Soup

This is a soup that begins underground. Down there in the soil the ginger and carrot, (as well as the onion, garlic and potatoes) slowly absorb vitamins and minerals that make this soup so good for you. Amoung other things, ginger is great for the digestive system,a great benefit for those of us with Celiac Disease. Carrots also have numerous benefits, the most notable being that they help your eyes. I can remember as a kid eating carrots and then focusing on an object and actually believing I can see it clearer. Look mom it really works!
Packed with nutrition and flavor, ginger and carrots are one of those pairs that just naturally want to be together, each bringing out the best in the other. I hate to dispute the wisdom of the venerable Forest Gump, but peas and carrots ain't got nothin' on ginger and carrots!

In the making of this soup all of the ingredients are cooked and then they are run through the food processor. My advice here is to pay full attention when doing this to avoid hot blended carrot soup over every surface in your kitchen, something I did in the final stages of making this soup! It was remarkable how many places I found flecks of orange throughout the kitchen. I got myself so worked up cleaning up the kitchen that the only thing that finally relaxed me was a cup of this delicious soup!
















Ginger Carrot Soup
Serves 4-6

2 lbs of carrots- peeled and chopped up
3"-4" inch piece of ginger root- peeled and chopped fine
1 large or 2 small potatoes - peeled and chopped
1 medium onion- peeled and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic- minced
2 stalks of celery- chopped
8 cups chicken OR vegetable stock
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cardamom (or 3-4 cardamom pods)
sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste

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• Heat a large pot to medium-high, add the olive oil
• Saute the chopped onion for about one minute, add the garlic, celery and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring.
• Stir in the sherry, ground coriander, ground cardamom (or cardamom pods), bay leaf, Salt and pepper.
• Mix in the carrots and potatoes, stir all together well, cook 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock stir well, bring all to a slight boil,
• Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
• Strain the soup, reserving the liquid and solids separately. Discard the bay leaf (and cardamom pods if you used them)
• Put the solids in a food processor and mix until smooth, pour back in the same bowl with the liquid, mix together.
• Serve hot, enjoy!

Optional: Stir in 3/4 cup of heavy cream 35 minutes into simmering to make this a creamy soup.