Love the definition of Potage Crécy I recently came across: “French for it’s cold outside — you need some creamy carrot soup.”
Creamy carrot soup it is.
Finally.
Last week, while I was posting ‘lean and clean’ spring chicken on my facebook page (what an oops that was), the rest of the world was posting comfort and warmth.
Just as it was occurring to sleepy me that the better part of North America was in a deep freeze, (the three hour time difference doesn’t help), my brother emailed a picture of his co-worker’s husky dog curled up in the fetal position outside in the snow (when a husky’s seeking comfort from the cold… you know it ain’t pretty). It was -35 C /-31 F at home that day.
Ouch.
There are plenty of things I miss about Canada but frozen eyelash weather isn’t generally one of them.
Still, I do think about the northern winters often enough.
I miss the fresh fallen snow and the feeling of burying myself deep in the forest. Those sacred places where you can feel your mind quiet and hear your heart beat against the stillness of nature.
On those snow heavy days when the landscape was covered white, we would spend the better part of the daylight hours skiing through the back-trails of the Gatineau Hills, and often recover with a bone warming pot of soup at the Chelsea Pub.
![10897839_10153004902339725_6584227239372064752_n[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inspirededibles.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/10897839_10153004902339725_6584227239372064752_n1.jpg)
image courtesy of Le Pub Chelsea
It’s hard to beat the charisma of soup on a cold winter’s day.
While I can’t say that the carrots used in this potage were sourced from the Crécy region of France (reputed to be among the best tasting carrots in the world and who doesn’t love saying the words potage Crécy), we did find our organic California grown carrots to be a perfectly delicious stand-in.
Bold, aromatic, thick and satisfying, we loved this bowl of goodness. The gingered broth in tandem with the banana and coconut lend a distinctively Caribbean touch to this winter curry and I’m thinking a taste of island sunshine might be welcome right about now.
- 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp ground garam masala
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- pinch ground cayenne pepper, it's hot so use accordingly
- 1 large nub of ginger, finely grated (I used about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 pound (450 g) carrots (about 4 cups), chopped or simply use baby carrots
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (you could microwave to soften if easier - see notes)
- 1 banana, peeled and chopped (substitute ½ cup apple sauce or 2 tsp brown sugar)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (or broth of choice)
- 1 cup (or more) coconut milk
- dash cinnamon or nutmeg for topping
- In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in a little bit of olive over low-medium heat until the onion becomes translucent.
- Sprinkle dry seasonings (garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne) over the onion and garlic as they cook, mixing with a wooden spoon to integrate the flavors.
- Add broth and coconut milk to the skillet with seasoned onion/garlic
- Add carrots, sweet potato and banana to the skillet (the liquid should mostly cover the vegetables/fruit) if it doesn't simply add a little coconut milk (or fluid of choice)
- Allow carrots, sweet potato and banana to simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are barely soft (al dente)
- Add ginger to the skillet and mix to combine
- When vegetables are al dente, remove skillet from heat and allow it to cool somewhat before carefully transferring contents into a blender/food processor to purée to desired consistency. You can do this in batches if easier. Work carefully as the fluid will still be warm.
- If the consistency of the mixture is too thick after blending, simply add some chicken/veg stock or coconut milk to dilute. You could also add water or milk beverage of choice if preferred.
- Be sure to taste the soup to make any seasoning adjustments.
- Once desired consistency is achieved, carefully transfer the puréed soup back to the skillet to serve in individual bowls topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg and/or a drizzle of coconut milk (as desired) or cool fully before storing in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
2) The ginger and cayenne bring distinctive flavor and heat to the soup -- I find them delicious and welcome but you can reduce the quantity or omit as desired.
3) If you find it difficult to cube an uncooked sweet potato (they can be quite hard), simply soften it in the microwave. (You can leave the peel on for this - that too will be easier to shed once softened).
Nutrition Highlights:
1) Sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamin C and fiber and they also lead the vegetable pack with their concentration of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. In tandem with carrots in this recipe, they bring a whopping concentration of beta-carotene which studies suggest can help guard against certain cancers and heart disease.
2) Curcumin, the active bright yellow pigment found in turmeric, is revered for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Turmeric is thought to protect against cancer by inhibiting tumor formation and cell growth.
This looks beautiful Kelly! I love making soups with a combination of orange vegetables- carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash etc- they all have such great natural sweetness and are yummy and hearty!
p.s. also wanted to say your previous post on dieting inspired me to do a similar post :) Thanks xx
Good morning Shu Han ~ I’m glad you enjoyed my tips on reducing sugar cravings and that it could act as even the smallest inspiration is so nice to hear, thank you for sharing that. Have a beautiful day.
What a beautiful site you have, Kelly, and I am completely in love with this soup. Specifically, it’s the varied and depth of flavors you’ve combined to create this warming and comforting dish.
We’ve been pretty mild up here in the Seattle area… no snow for us. But a walk in the forest after a fresh snow, feeling the stillness, soaking in the sounds and beauty of nature, is like being wrapped in a warm blanket. A few days ago I was taking a long walk and it almost felt like Spring; a perfectly clear day with the sun radiating its brilliant energy. It was almost warm. I’ll take it!
Hello Traci, thank you for your warmth. No matter how tough a day and how fixed a mood, a walk outdoors never fails to heal me…the transformative nature of the sun is nothing short of a miracle. I hope you’re having a great day :).
Never tried sweet potato or carrot soup for that matter and your recipe here sounds perfect to start with. Love the color and texture of this lovely soup. Beautiful clicks too :)
thanks so much for stopping by Taruna and for your kind words too… this one has some bold flavor and lots of comfort. I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try :)
Thanks for thinking about your Canadian friends :) This soup is exactly what we need. I’m intrigued by the banana – never had it in soup before! Looks gorgeous…will definitely have to try your recipe.
I think of my Canadian family & friends moment-to-moment :D banana is not uncommon in Caribbean inspired dishes (notably Jamaican) — I just love it here! Thanks for stopping by Sofia.
I love the flavors here. Why is it that the spices that make the best winter stews and soups generally come from very hot countries and regions? This sounds like perfection. After the big dump of snow we just got, this will hit the spot nicely.
Yes, I have a thang for those Caribbean flavors too :) Happy Weekend France.
Gorgeous soup, perfect for our nippy weather. It’s been on and off freezing cold and we haven’t had a lot of snow (thank goodness) but that wouldn’t stop me from curling up in front of the fire with this delightful soup. JT came down with the flu so I’ll be heading out to pick up some vegetables for ‘get well’ soup, I’m sure he would really appreciate this recipe.
thanks for stopping by Eva ~ hope JT’s feeling better!
So nicely put, Kelly—“Those sacred places where you can feel your mind quiet and hear your heart beat against the stillness of nature.” I don’t know that I could live in a one season climate. I would like a bowl of soup today, though.
thank you Debra and you know, I think the climate here in Northern California is a very well kept secret. It is far from uni-seasonal it’s just that the shifts may not be as dramatic on either end of the spectrum. Quite easy to take actually :)
What a sunny warming soup! Your photographs should be put into frames! I bet you would desperately need such a bowl in Canada now, but you have lemons in the garden instead. It seems like a fair change ;-) (For me it would be!). Seriously, I like snow, but when I’m inside, with a cup of tea, in a nicely warm room… We don’t have snow in my city really (well, almost never), but whenever it gets cold I dream of soups and stews…. I made a new one today (Korean once more…) it was so surprisingly good, I’ll post it soon.
Hi Sissi, no complaints about the climate here ;-) it’s about as close to paradise as you can imagine — nice cool mornings and evenings, brilliant sunshine to warm the days and very little humidity thanks to the semi-desert climate so things don’t get overly damp or humid/hot in the summer. C’est le paradis :) I’m looking forward to your next Korean wonder.
making soup tonight, kelly. not as exotic as yours. just your basic chicken and vegetable variety. we recently got a vitamix blender and i will be sure to test drive it with this recipe. love ginger, carrots and coconut milk. and have a mentioned how much i LOVE your photos?????
Ooh, fun, a vitamix. I hope you try this soup sometime Suzanne – it’s actually really straightforward but does have those far away flavors :) thanks so much for your encouragement about the photos… I’m so pleased you like them! To answer your question from instagram, i take somewhere in the range of 300 shots per shoot…sometimes less, sometimes more :)
I love how you present the soup..so cozy, warming and delicious. We have a terribly mild winter this year and the temperature reaches 15C in the midday and rainy without end.
what part of the world are you in Angie?
I was wondering if you missed the snow. :) I miss getting up in the mountains, strapping on crosscountry skis and traveling only where the animals roam. Nowadays I prefer curling up by the fire, sipping on a warm, stick to the bones soup. Your creamy soup has me wanting to build a fire and grab a bowl.
ah yes, soup and a warming fire. the best that winter has to offer — and maybe, just maybe, a bit of snow on the side :)
Love, love, LOVE your photos!! So stunning, food photography is NOT easy!! <3
Anyhoo, I found your blog through a fellow blogger, and just thought I would stop by and say hi! It would totally make my day if you did the same… or better yet, keep in touch!! <3 – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
well thank you so much for stopping by Gingi and for you kind words about the photos… adding a brilliant ray of sunshine to my day :). I will definitely drop by your blog. Cheers!
I’ve had many versions of carrot and/or sweet potato soup, but none featuring banana. I’m fascinated! And a soup certainly sounds delicious right now – not to mention warming. I find it so hard to warm up these past few days (except for my hands which are delightfully warm in some authentic Canadian gloves). I love how creamy and thick the soup looks too. Nice and hearty. I’m definitely going to try this one (hopefully Mike won’t notice the sweet potato!). :)
if you like robust flavors and heat, you will find this one quite yummy & satisfying I think…you will be able to detect some familiar Indian spices and the banana is Caribbean inspired (notably Jamaican) along with the ginger/coconut. Yes, hopefully there’s enough going on that Mike won’t be able to make a positive ID ;-).
This soup is so beautiful and it sounds so delicious. It hasn’t been too cold here in New Jersey but definitely soup weather. I am so intrigued by the ingredients in this soup, I can’t wait to give it a try. Is that a picture of you and the boys skiing? I can’t wait for our first big snowfall so I can get out with the boys and give our new snowshoes a try.
I hope you give the soup a try sometime! it’s a warming fusion of Indian and Caribbean (notably Jamaican…) — that’s Dad with the boys during one of our ski adventures (I’m taking the photo). I just can’t get over all the snow…pretty glorious — it makes me a bit wistful (but on balance, no complaints ;-)
Well, doesn’t this look lovely… I’m particularly fond of that golden orange paired so beautifully with soft white accents. What kind of flowers are those? I certainly could use a bunch to brighten up my table! I’m not into winter weather at all (oh,my goodness- frozen eyelashes?) I slipped and fell on the ice in my driveway the other day… a gentle reminder to brace myself for the season ;)
But this soup- it has garam masala! Yum! How about we take a trip to the River Cottage then hop a plane to France for some carrots? Sound good?
And ps- who cares about FB. Post what you feel girlfriend!
sounds like a plan! oh look, (just checking out their site now), they do have a cookery school (!!) and special Hugh events :) I can’t seem to find anything on accommodations though… I wonder if there are nearby b & b’s or how it works. Yeah, winter’s fun in December and all and then there’s November, January, February, March and April…too long me thinks.
Such a beautiful post! There is definitely something about the snow that can bring a sense of pure calm and peace! I’ve never been somewhere so snowy and cold that eyelashes are frozen though, so I may not speak for everyone! Snow is a treat here in Vancouver.
I love your creamy carrot soup…I’m sure it does warm you to the bone, with all those beautiful spices!
And a BANANA!? Very clever- I can’t say I have ever had banana in soup!!
yes, I think the West coast generally enjoys a more temperate climate — it gets real cold in other parts of Canada though :). Banana and plantain are common additions to Caribbean (Jamaican) cuisine as well as the tropics. Although it may sound unusual it works beautifully with the spices here… a must try! xx
Nice Kelly! Yes on my 3rd batch of soup making… my latest was carrot as well! I have taken note of your ingredients and shall try this next time around. Banana? Who would have thought! Nice winter shots :)
Lynn
thanks Lynn — yes, it’s a fusion of Indian and Caribbean (notably Jamaican) where banana in the broth is not uncommon and, I must say, rather delicious. Warming flavors that work really nicely together – you’ll have to give it a try sometime to see if it suits your palate.
Beautiful soup! This year I’ve been making soup quite often, and it’s about time that I do so… I find that I love soup for lunch so much in this weather, I don’t need anything else!
frozen eyelashes…. those are words that can potentially kill a Brazilian… ;-)
haha, yes, it’s the darn windchill – when it dips below 30 ish, any exposed moisture freezes fast. I have distinct memories of walking Stella with my eyes almost frozen shut :( Especially unnerving when you have to take your mitts off to pick up doggie doodoo… dat COLD.
Don’t do this to me, Kelly…. eyes frozen shut!
ok, I will be having nightmares for a couple of nights now…. (sigh)
haha, I know you’re tougher than that sister! <3