ROASTED CARROT AND CASHEW SOUP
Serves: 6 (makes 9 cups/1.25 L)
■ 2 lbs (900 g) carrots, trimmed, scrubbed and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces
■ 4 cloves garlic, crushed
■ 1 medium shallot, quartered
■ 3 tbsp (750 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
■ 1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt, or more as needed
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground coriander
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground sumac
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
■ 6 cups (1.5 L) no-sodium-added vegetable broth
■ 1 cup (250 ml) roasted, unsalted cashews
■ 1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened coconut milk or cashew milk
■ 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C) with the rack in the middle.
2. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the garlic, shallot, oil, salt, black pepper, coriander, sumac and red pepper flakes. 3. Transfer to a sheet pan large enough for the carrots to fit in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable broth in a saucepan over low heat and keep warm.
5. Place 1/4 cup (60 ml) cashews in a high-speed blender. Add the coconut milk and purée until smooth. Chop the remaining cashews for garnish.
6. Add the carrots and vegetable broth to the blender and purée until smooth. (If necessary, purée the soup in batches, combining about half of each — the stock, carrots and cashew purée — in each batch and stirring everything together again before serving.)
7. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper, if desired. If needed, return the soup to the saucepan over medium heat and warm until heated through.
8. Stir in the lime juice or vinegar and divide the soup among serving bowls. Top with chopped cashews and drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot.
Notes: The roasted carrots can be refrigerated for up to 5 days before finishing the soup. The finished soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Adapted from Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood by Aran Goyoaga (Sasquatch, 2019).