Carrot-Ginger Soup

Ok, so this is has been done many times by many people. Yet it's still a great soup when done right.

Here's what you will need:
Sweet Carrots - quantity depends on how many people are eating, I would say for 2 people about 4 large carrots - peeled or scrubbed.

1 Onion - red or any color really

1 Potato - but you can also use cauliflower instead. Sliced.

3-4 Cloves of garlic - I like garlic;)

Fresh ginger - the quantity really depends on your taste. For a soup with 4 carrots I would usa about 1 in. of fresh ginger root. Peeled and cut.

Salt to taste

Some olive oil

Handful of chopped parsley

Some sour cream or plain yogurt

Some toasted croutons. (Cut some french bread into cubes or slices, toss with olive oil and salt and/or herbs, and throw on a baking sheet and into the oven for a few minutes (400F should be fine) Bake croutons start getting hard/crispy, make sure the whole lot doesn't burn burn - which I have done many times now..)

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Bring water to boil in about a 2 qt pan - 3/4 full of water.

Cut carrots into one inch pieces and place in the water, add onion, sliced potato/cauliflower. Cook for about 10min and then add garlic cloves, ginger and salt to taste.

Cook in a closed pot at medium temperature until the vegetables - just soft - so you can stick a fork through the carrots.

Remove from the fire, and add a little olive oil - 1 tablespoon should do the trick. Now to puree the soup you can use three things:
1. Blender
2. Hand Blender - which is what I use usually.
3. I you own no appliances and are poor use a potato masher. Just make sure it's not plastic, heat and plastic are not a good combo.

Once the soup is pureed it can be served.

Put into each plate, add a spoonful of yogurt, sprinkle some chopped parsley on top and toss in croutons.

The colors are really great this way, and you will enjoy your soup.

Instead of carrots you can use parsnips - omit the ginger in this case - it's a great soup as well.