Thursday, January 8, 2009

Creamy Carrot Soup with Port Wine and Ricotta Cheese

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This is a marvelously simple and inexpensive soup that's sure to satisfy. It looks extravagant but it will feed six people for less than five dollars. My first version of this soup contained no wine or cheese but as my palate developed I began to play with flavors. Some worked, others didn't. This one, at least to my tastes, is delightful. It can be served hot or cold and can be made several days before serving. Use extra salt if you are going to serve it cold. Hot or cold, it will please the palate and the eyes. .....and then just when I thought I was done with this post, the universe conspired to prove me wrong. Did you know there is a World Carrot Museum in Britain? It has more information about the carrot then you'll ever need, or probably care, to know. I mean no disrespect - this endeavor is obviously important to someone, but I do wonder how folks come up with this stuff. Do people really visit carrot museums?


Creamy Carrot Soup with Port Wine and Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup minced onion
5 cups (about 2-1/2 pounds) sliced carrots
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (part-skimed O.K.)
3 tablespoons port wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Dill sprigs for garnish

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
2) Strain carrots, reserving broth. Transfer carrots to the jar of an electric blender. Add ricotta cheese and 1 cup of cooking liquid. Process until smooth. Fold puree back into reserved liquid, whisking until smooth. Bring back to a simmer. If serving hot, remove from heat and stir in wine and dill. If serving cold, reserve wine and dill to finish just before serving. Let soup cool to room temperature; transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours before adding wine and dill. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold. Yield: 6 servings.

18 comments :

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a very hearty and nutritious soup! Thanks for sharing! :)

Martha said...

I love carrot soup but usually do mine with curry. I'll have to try this one.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Happy New Year, Ning. Welcome back.

Cathy said...

What a beautiful color. Carrots are a favorite of mine, especially when freshened up with a bit of dill.

Looks lovely, Mary.

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Looks so rich and creamy and very interesting flavors.

Maria said...

I love the color of this soup! So vibrant!

Allie said...

Oh I love the looks of this, I've got it bookmarked for an upcoming dinner party!

Pam said...

Mmmm. It looks and sounds wonderful - I love the color. Healthy and delicious.

Chocolate Shavings said...

The addition of ricotta seems like it would really make this carrot soup amazing!

Kathleen Bauer said...

I have to say, Mary, that if I was traveling anywhere near a carrot museum, I would stop in and give it a look. But that could be because I love people who are passionate about their interests. And I know so many people who would appreciate the postcard!

Peter M said...

Carrot soups are under-rated but they are most comforting. This one is memorable for it's ingredients and vibrant orange.

Anonymous said...

Since there are always several bottles of port open here this would be very easy to make!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Chocolate Shavings, thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll come often.

Anonymous said...

Thats one beautiful color of a soup.

Love your banana fritters. We have a similar recipe back home, but with much less ingredients. Lovely pics of the corn fritters too.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Soma, thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll come again.

flutterbyblue said...

this sounds delicious! I think I may try making it for lunch today...I never thought to add ricotta to carrot soup! Thanks for the recipe!

Lynne said...

Can you suggest a substitute for the port wine? It is not something I would use again, probably, and a lack of storage in my kitchen means I try to limit buying ingredients that can be used for other things too.

Stumbled across your blog a week ago and saved it to my Reader and am just now going through the backlog. What beautiful recipes and stories behind them. I have put a star next to quite a few to re-visit and try.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Lynnifer, you could try substituting an equal amount of apple or orange juice. I hope it will work for you. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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