Few things are more uplifting in the dead of winter than a bowl of this bright orange soup, which is equally good served cold in the summer. Don’t overcook the carrots or you’ll lose the beautiful color. This soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, then reheated if necessary.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, carrots, potato, salt, pepper, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the carrots begin to break down. Add the stock, raise the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Using a food mill, an immersion blender, or an upright blender, puree the mixture until smooth, working in batches if necessary. (In this as in every instance, take care when pureeing hot liquid; it’s best, if you have the time, to let the mixture cool to room temperature before pureeing; or cover and refrigerate for up to a couple of days before pureeing.)
Step 3
To serve hot, reheat the soup in the saucepan. To serve it cold, refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream if you’re using it, then garnish with chervil and serve.
