Recipe Honey Carrot Soup

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I was intrigued when I saw that honey was the ingredient for the recipe challenge: I wanted something that was savory, but that still used honey in a meaningful way. A honey carrot soup recipe on the BBC Cooking site caught my eye. I also liked the fact that the ingredients could be gotten cheaply: if I hated the results, I wouldn't have to throw away anything expensive.

I thought the recipe would have been too sweet as written. I'm reminded that a good way to reduce the spiciness of a dish is by adding sweetness; it works the other way, too. Thus, I bumped up the spiciness. I didn't want to overpower the honey, so I only used half a serrano pepper. This gives the soup a warming quality without obliterating the more gentle elements (the carrot, the leeks, and of course the honey).

Ingredients

2 leeks
2 tablespoons light butter
4 cups vegetable stock
2 pounds of carrots
1/2 serrano pepper, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon honey

Directions

1. Trim roots from leeks and discard. Cut dark green leaves from leeks and reserve. Cut remainder of leeks into small chunks.

2. Add stock to a large pot. Add dark green leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes. Strain out leaves and discard.

3. Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add chopped leeks and saute, coating to cover. Stir frequently to prevent burning for about 5 minutes.

4. Discard stems from carrots. Chop carrots and add to pan along with serrano pepper, stirring to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes, moving frequently in the pot to coat evenly.

5. Add broth to the pot, scraping the bottom to ensure that nothing is sticking. Stir in honey. Add bay leaf. Heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Remove bay leaf. Working in batches, add everything in the pot to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and add salt to taste. Serve with a sprig of parsley if desired.

 

[Morning Glory]

I thought the recipe would have been too sweet as written.

My first thought when I saw the title of the recipe. Good move to counter it with chilli. Great step by step photos.