As promised, November’s posts starts with a recipe made from Gourmet’s October issue, what they called Scarlet Carrot Soup, but which I’ve modified to more of a Vibrant Veggie Soup. When I described the contents to PT – tons of carrots, beets, and parsnips – he crinkled his nose and grabbed a carrot cupcake with maple frosting, presumably to soothe himself from the raw shock of so many vegetables.

As it turns out, the soup was delicious, thanks to a liberal dose of coriander, which playfully and spicily tickled the back of my throat. And while I hope that you do try this soup, as it is incredibly easy, healthy, and tasty, it’s not really what this post is about….

I was flipping through my Gourmet this weekend, pen and post-it notes in hand, and mentally eschewing all of the critiques that had emerged since its demise – that it was out of touch with home cooks, spoke a language that no one understood, wasn’t attune to the economy, etc.  I set out to mark the recipes that I couldn’t live without making, and I noticed something that I hadn’t before. I got to page 103 of my October issue and had only seen 3 recipes. This isn’t expected from the iconic cooking magazine that mentored and guided America’s home cooks for the last 70 years.

In Gourmet’s defense, it is their Restaurant Issue, but I have a refrigerator filled with farm share veggies and the crisp Fall air has me in the mood to turn my oven on.  Looking for recipes as though they were needles in hay stack was a little disappointing. It was an eye-opening moment when I saw all of the critiques that I had rejected glaring at me from glossy pages.

I still mourn Gourmet’s passing, just with a touch more understanding and perspective.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Vibrant Veggie Soup, Serves 6-8

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Simmering Time: 30 Minutes
Total Prep Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients:

For the Soup:

¼ Cup Olive Oil

2 Onions, chopped

1/8 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

6 Carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

2 Beets, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 Parsnip, cut into ½  inch pieces

3 Sprigs Thyme, leaves removed from stems

2 Turkish Bay Leaves

2 Tsp. Coriander

8 Cups Water

2 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar

For the Carrot Ribbons:

2 Carrots

2-3 Tbls. Flour

½ Tsp. Salt

3 Cups Peanut Oil for Frying

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in large stock pot. Once hot, add the onions, thyme leaves, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes and cook the onions until they’re softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, beets, parnsip, water, and coriander to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low heat and let simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

While the soup is coming to a boil, start making your carrot ribbons. Heat the oil in a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325°. While it’s heating, make your carrot ribbons by peeling carefully down the length of the carrot with a vegetable peeler until you reach the core.

Toss the carrot ribbons in a bowl with the flour and salt until well-covered. Once the oil reaches 325°, add the carrot ribbons in 2 batches and fry for 1-2 minutes. Let drain on a plate covered with paper towels until the soup is ready to be served.

Now, back to the soup…. Once it’s simmered for 20 minutes, turn the heat off and stir it for a minute or so to release the steam. If you have a hand-held blender, the next step is going to be easy-as-pie – sadly, if you don’t, it’s going to be a bit stickier. With the hand-held blender, simply blend the soup carefully until smooth. If you don’t have one (it may be time to invest), you’ll have to very carefully take the soup to the processor or blender in batches to puree.

Once pureed, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, top with your carrot ribbons, serve (with a big slice of Cheddar Bread), and enjoy!