SUNDAY NIGHT RECIPE - for kicks

My whole schedule - heckfire, my LIFE - was thrown off by this fire, so I haven't had my wits about me to blog, exercise, sleep... sadly, I retained my capacity to eat, as usual. I even eat when I have the flu. Pathetic.

Anyway... I made something last week, pre-fire, that was so darn good and I cannot believe I'm going to admit it to you.

Recall a few posts ago ("Manna from Heaven") when I used cooking as a spiritual exercise in being grateful for what I'd been given? Last week gave me yet another opportunity with the BUTT-load of carrots we've been receiving from Fairview Gardens, our lovely CSA.

Those who know me long and well know that I am the Great Hater o' Carrots. Bleah bleah bleah. Hate 'em cooked, raw, juiced. Bleah. Yes, I am willing to eat them in carrot cake, but puh-lease, you can't even taste them -- especially with some delightful cream cheese frosting.... mmm....

But I digress. I WANT to and NEED to be thankful for how God is providing bountifully and creatively in my life these days. And for the last three weeks at least we have received a very large bunch of carrots in our weekly share from Fairview.

What to do, what to do... my housemate Ruth can only eat so many carrot sticks for lunch, and I'd already made one batch of carrot bread and while it is perfectly wonderful, my hips do not need more carrot bread...

So I was left to being a grown-up and learning how to eat carrots in a more adult fashion. I dug out a recipe from Fairview last year and forgot that this was THE BOMB to the BOMB. Yes, I'm saying, admitting, even celebrating a dish made with carrots. It is REALLY good, all you Fellow Carrot Haters out there. Try it. The texture of the soup is worth the price of admission - the recipe sheet calls it "velvety." I agree.

INDIAN SPICED CARROT SOUP WITH GINGER
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
3 tb peanut oil (I used sesame oil)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tp crushed ginger
2 c chopped onions
1 1/2 lb carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds (equals 4 cups) (PS - I didn't have quite enough carrots, believe it or not, so I used some roasted butternut squash I had in the freezer. This quite possibly made it even better!)
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lime peel
5 c (or more) chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp lime juice
Plain yogurt (for garnish)

Grind coriander and mustard seeds in spice mill to fine powder. Heat oil in heavy large pot over med-high heat. Add ground seeds & curry powder; stir 1 minute. Add ginger; stir 1 minute. Add onion, carrot, lime peel. Sprinkle with salt & pepper; saute until onions begin to soften - 3 minutes-ish.

Add 5 cups broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low; simmer uncovered until carrots are tender - about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree in blender until smooth. (OR IF YOU'RE REALLY FORTUNATE, use an inversion blender right in the pot!)

Return soup to pot. Add broth if too thick. Stir in lime juice, salt & pepper to taste.

Can be done one day ahead of time.

P.S. I fried some slices of polenta in a pan the next day for lunch with a tsp of olive oil, then poured some leftover soup on top of it. Glorious. I'm telling you, this soup is GOOD. Velvety, I might add.