Cream of Carrot Soup with Ricotta
Cheese Vegetables Soups and Stews
Cooking as self-coaching.
Yesterday I saw this quote from Anthony Bourdain: "When someone cooks for you they are saying something. They are telling you about themselves: where they come from, who they are, what makes them happy." I liked it and shared it on Instagram, and then I thought: if others can learn so much about you just from what and how you cook, what can I learn about myself when I cook? What do I want to tell myself? Could I become my own self-coach, using the simple act of cooking?
So I thought: what did this carrot soup want to tell me?
- The golden color of the soup: To remind me how much I love light and sunshine, and that the impatience/desperation with which I wait for spring is normal?
- The shape and resilience of the carrots: That I came out strong from winter? That I am a determined person?
- The almost exaggerated creaminess from the ricotta: That now I need to feel acceptance and warmth from those around me?
- Carrots are usually last on my shopping list: That I could be more understanding and attentive to people I do not resonate with?
If we pay attention, what we choose to eat can give us clues about our state at that moment and what we are missing to be more balanced.
Ingredients
500g carrots
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 level teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
zest from 1/4 organic lemon
100g ricotta
15g butter
1-2 tablespoons oil
Servings: 4
How to prepare cream of carrot soup with ricotta
- In a pot, heat the oil. Add the onion chopped into cubes and sauté over low heat until soft and you no longer smell raw onion. Add the carrots cut into slices and sauté over low heat until they caramelize slightly. Stir occasionally at first and more often towards the end, when the carrots are caramelized. Be patient at this step, it will take 10-15 minutes, keep the heat low so you do not burn the vegetables.
- Add the crushed garlic, turmeric, cumin and coriander and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, until it smells pleasantly of garlic.
- Add 4 cups of water (1L), salt and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat, until the carrots are completely cooked and soft.
- Put the solids from the pot and a little liquid in a food processor and blend long, at maximum speed until you have a fine puree. Add the butter, ricotta, lemon zest and grind black pepper. Add a little more soup from the pot and blend again at high speed. Taste the soup for salt and add if needed.
- With the processor running, gradually add the remaining soup until you get the desired consistency.
- Serve the cream of carrot soup warm, with toasted bread spread with ricotta and sprinkled with herbs (green onion, dill, parsley) or with spicy croutons.
