Ginger Carrot Soup

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:
6 to 8 medium to large carrots (about 1-1/2 pounds), diced into rustic cubes
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
6 cups low-sodium chicken and vegetable stock
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 small white or yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

• Place half the carrots on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toss to combine. Bake for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan every so often for even cooking, until soft, lightly browned, and caramelized. Remove from the oven.

• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the stock, ginger, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the raw carrots and simmer for 5 minutes, until the carrots are just slightly soft but not cooked through.

• Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender, add the roasted carrots, and blend until smooth (work in batches, if necessary, and be careful when blending hot liquids). Alternatively, add the roasted carrots to the saucepan and blend the soup directly in the pan with an immersion blender.

• To serve, pour or ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper, and add a drizzle of olive oil over each portion.

*Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow