Clean out the Fridge Soup

I was about to go pick up my Full Circle organic produce delivery the other day, but I still had some produce from the previous box that needed to be used. Also, my friend was coming over for dinner with her girls, so I needed to make something right away.

I looked in the fridge and saw the 2-pound bag of carrots and some fresh ginger root that needed to be used, and I knew right away what I was going to make. I call it “Clean out the Fridge Soup” for this blog post, but it is more accurately Carrot Ginger Soup.

Carrot Ginger Soup
Makes about 2 quarts or 4-6 servings
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 fennel bulb, core and fronds removed, then chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
2 pounds carrots, washed and chopped
32 ounces chicken stock
(Tip: Substitute vegetable stock to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan.)
2 cups water
1 teaspoons dried ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a 4-quart stock pot over medium high heat. Add oil, then  sauté onion, celery and fennel for about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add ginger, and sauté for about 1 minute longer. Add carrots, stock, water, and dried spices. simmer about 30 minute or until carrots are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat. Purée with an emulsion blender, or in batches in a conventional blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tina’s Tip: If you use a conventional blender, fill it only halfway and take the center part out of the lid so that the heat can escape—but cover with a towel to avoid splattering.