this soup is a bit of a mash up: part Christopher Kimball’s Cookish and a whole lot of Smitten Kitchen

soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
at least 2 tablespoon finely chopped or grated ginger

2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
4 cups carrot juice

1/4 - 1/2 cup white miso paste

shichimi togarashi (optional)

creme fraiche (optional)

pickled scallions

finely chop 4 green scallions and let them sit in a mixture of 6 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.

to make

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic sauté until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add carrot juice, rosemary + ginger. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes. while the soup is simmering make pickled scallions

Add 1/4 cup miso, then puree soup in batches in blender, or all at once with an immersion blender.

Taste the soup and season to taste with more miso and/or shichimi togarashi which will add heat.

I also whisked in 1/4 c of creme fraiche but that’s me, and I like things creamy.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with pickled scallions.

notes:

I am notorious for not measuring but rather cooking by taste.

It’s a problem and it works for me, so I suggest you consider using the spice measurements as a guideline and taste as you go.

You can omit the rosemary, use less garlic or ginger ~ it’s really up to you! The shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice) adds heat quickly ~ the tiniest dash packs an interesting punch, but it may not be to your palette.

Finally, if you haven’t cooked with miso before it is salty delicious by nature ~ I added no additional salt to the stock but plenty of miso, one spoonful at a time.