Sunday, January 23, 2011

Carrot and Curry soup


I hate cooked carrots. I tend to avoid adding them to soups unless I'm making a broth. To me they loose so much flavor. Give me raw any day. That is what i thought until I started making this soup. The carrots make it such fluffy and light texture & the curry carries so much flavor. Sometimes i add cheese or croutons on top. I also think it would freeze quite well & will test this out.

Carrot and Curry soup

1 med red onion (about 2 cups)
2 pound carrots (about 6 cups diced)
2 tbs earth balance butter (I just use organic butter)
2 tbs oil (I used olive oil )
1 tbs curry powder
1 (1/2 inch) ginger, peeled & smashed (or 1/8 dried ginger)
2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth 
4 whole cloves
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Chop onion and carrots. Heat oil & butter on med/low heat. When butter melts add onions & cook until slightly soft (about 5 min). Make sure not to brown. Add carrots, ginger, garlic, cloves & curry (If you aren't familiar with curry you can put in 1/2 tbs and add more at the end). Mix well so carrots are evenly covered with oil & cook for 10 min. At this point, with a fork, check if carrots are tender. Add water or broth & cook until the carrots are soft enough to break with a wooden spoon. Take cloves out. Usually they will float on top & can be removed easily. Put in blender & pure.

Salt & peeper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

New year, new blog.


I'm not late, am I? New years resolutions are like those friends you see from time to time. “HEY! Great to see you again! Lets hang out more often.” Those conversations happen with the best of intentions. So do the New Years resolutions. I have been meaning to create a food blog for some time now. Always gathering up recipes, marking up my cookbooks, making modifications to ones that don't quite hit the mark.

Growing up I've watched my mother as she cooked. I have been a vegetarian for about 5 years now.  Being first generation of Polish immigrants, you could imagine it not going over so well. Poland is a meat loving country and so was my family. Being the odd one out I had to take the matters into my own hands.

Today I LOVE VEGETABLES and have a great passion for cooking them. I've collected quite a few vegetarian cookbooks. From vegan, to raw & vintage. My thirst for "unique" was unruly & I just couldn't help myself. How many households did this old used cookbook see? Which recipe was the best? How can i make it better? I must say I have a lot more control over it these days ( that & i just don't know where to keep them all).  It can't just be any old cookbook anymore that makes it up on my shelf. Each one is special and its time to start documenting my favorites.

With that said, its time to review those pages and share the events that happen in my kitchen. Page by page I will review & modify with you.

Enjoy!