My sweet husband flew back to Missouri to visit his mother for a week and returned with a miserable cold. He always enjoys a yummy bowl of homemade soup, but when he is even the slightest bit ill, he yearns for soup like it is a magical elixir.
Enter California-based Heidi Swanson. This one woman whirlwind of creativity is a cookbook author, photographer, website publisher, shop curator and bestselling writer. She won a James Beard Award for Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen. Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel, her latest book, was published last September.
I have a glut of cookbooks, some of which I rarely open, others which have stained and dog-eared pages of favorite recipes I return to often. I subscribe to Swanson’s blog, 101 Cookbooks, and it has become one of those favorite spots I turn to when I am looking to cook something easy, wholesome and luscious.
So, when I was looking for an easy soup to make for my ailing husband, I found this one, using carrots, red curry paste and coconut milk. I am trying to cook vegetarian meals more and more often. Eating a vegetarian diet is healthier for both of us, it is healthier for the planet, and I disagree with the idea of killing animals. I still eat chicken every now and then, and I eat lots of fish, but I am working to limit those as well.
- 2 TB unsalted butter or extra-virgin coconut oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 TB red curry paste or to taste
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and chopped - 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups water or to cover
- 1 lemon or lime
- In a large soup pan over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil (or butter) and onions. Stir until the onions are well-coated, and allow to sauté until translucent, a few minutes. Stir in the curry paste, and then the carrots. Allow to cook another minute or two, and then add the coconut milk, salt and water, adding more water to cover if needed. Allow to simmer until the carrots are tender, 10 - 15 minutes, and then puree using a hand blender until the soup is silky smooth.
- The next part is important (with any soup) - make any needed adjustments. Add more water if the consistency needs to be thinned out a bit (I didn't need to do anything). After that, taste for salt, adding more if needed.
- Add a great big squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Serve topped with whatever you have on hand. Heidi suggests adding something crunchy (almonds) and a lot of something green (micro greens and chopped cilantro). I only had cilantro on hand, and it was wonderful.
I can't wait to plant carrots in our garden this spring and make this soup for our grandkids after they pull up their sweet and tender harvest.
XO
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