soup's on

with a chill in the air, soup is on the stove. i've got a ton of favorites, but here is a new one i just tried last night: carrot and red pepper soup. this comes from deborah madison's vegetarian cooking for everyone. this cookbook was a gift from carl's parents last year, and we have crafted some incredible meals from it. some of the recipes are too elaborate and time consuming for everyday cooking, but each recipe we have tried has a very distinctive taste. she knows how to pull the rich flavors out of fresh vegetables and herbs.



when i am craving a carrot soup, i usually just whip up a simple carrot ginger soup. this one is more complex and layered than that, though still quite easy to prepare. since you puree it all at the end, you don't have to be very elegant with your chopping. i was happy to find many of the ingredients still available at the farmer's market, and in my garden. i also managed to make some stock in the early afternoon, from what i could find in the crisper.

here's the recipe. if anyone tries it, i'd like to hear about it.

Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups diced onion
1 pound carrots, thinly sliced (i peeled mine)
2 tablespoons white rice
salt and freshly milled pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1 and a half tablespoons dried)
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
6 cups water or vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
Finely chopped dill or chopped parsley (for garnish)

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the pepper, onion, carrots, rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, covered, until the onion has softened completely, about 10 minutes, stirring several times. Add a grind of pepper, the parsley, dill, orange zest, juice, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until the rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then puree (in a blender, food processor or food mill)* and return it to the pot. Taste for salt, season with pepper, garnish and serve.

* you will need to do this in stages, as it won't all fit in a blender or food processor bowl.

from: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison, (with slight modification and notes by cake).