A Quickie Recipe, as requested...

Okay, here goes with a recipe or two…as was the original intent of this here little weblog…but all things evolve into something else, despite what the fundamentalist try and tell you.

Carrot Ginger Soup with Coconut

Olive Oil (for sweating veggies)
Onions (1lg. or 3sm.)
Garlic (a whole head or more!)
Celery ( a couple two or three ribs,even if the wife hates the stuff, she’ll never know, and it adds an indispensable flavor)
Ginger (a fist sized “hand” grated, or chopped exceedingly fine…don’t want to be picking ginger hairs from between your teeth in front of everyone)
Carrots (lots - ~ 3#!)
1/3 Chicken Stock (canned is okay, but not the best)
2/3 H2O (otherwise known as “pipe stock”) –>>>>(enough total liquid to cover veggies plus ¼)
1 can Coconut Milk (we use the reduced fat variety)
Orange/Tangerine Juice
Lemon Juice
Salt n’ Pepper (SP) --- these last five To Taste (TT)
Cumin
Coriander

- Add oil to cover bottom of heavy stock pot (10 Qt.) and heat.

- Rough chop the carrots, celery, and onions (this is your Mire Poix ), add to olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sweat (med. heat) until onions are translucent and other veg. are starting to be tender. Don’t forget to stir on occasion.

- Add garlic and ginger, stir to cook about 2 min.

- Add stock and H2O, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until carrots are fall apart tender.

- Puree with hand blender (I prefer this to the regular blender both for ease, and because it leaves some texture to the final soup), and add in the final ingredients to taste. Return to the burner and simmer some more to meld the flavors together. Keep tasting and adjusting the flavors as you wish.

I served this with Olive Oil toasted French Bread rounds for dunking.
Crème’ Fraiche and cilantro leaves would have been nice additions as well.

A great winter warm up after sledding, a walk in the woods, or covertly hauling rocks from the riverside in the nearby national forrest for a garden path (don't ask, it's a long story).

Enjoy. More soon!