Monday, May 11, 2009

 

Chilled Carrot-Apricot Soup

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Oh wow. Last week…it was so terrific…cherry cherries had appeared in the market. This week…like a little, fragrant gift…apricots. I was so ecstatic. Such an amazing thing, a perfect apricot!

I had been toying all week with the idea of making a carrot-apricot soup (the idea filled my head and just had to be seen through!) and was kinda-sorta geared up to get it going…(don't you love the way I interrupt myself with parenthetical comments? LOL. Yea...me too.) but I knew I really had to be patient and not pouty if there weren’t any around yet when I arrived at the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market.

Then happiness prevailed…they were there! Golden, sweet.

And because someone was smiling down on me, I even scored some (super inexpensive! Joyous bonus!) of the “slightly blemished” beauties for $0.25/pound and with a song in my heart I got home and got my soup under way.

This is just too, too easy to bring together. The trick is to really use the most amazing, top quality, flavorful produce you can get. Really...otherwise it's just going to be plain.

I sort of fell in love with the idea of this looking like a melted creamsicle too…giving the illusion it has cream in it…without really having any, so I went with white carrots. You can use orange, of course if you can't find white.

The flavor of apricot should not be pronounced in the soup either…it should just be something you catch at the end of a bite. If your apricots are large, use less. And if you find the whole soup is a bit too delicate for you (I do tend to like very light flavors.) try adding some curry leaves or a bit of orange zest.

Now try this my peaches, and taste the joy!

Cold Carrot-Apricot Soup

1 T. olive oil
1 large leek, cleaned, sliced (white part only)
6 white carrots, peeled, sliced into thin rounds
3 apricots, pulp only
4 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
optional: heavy cream or yogurt to garnish (I tried both and much preferred the cream…but didn't think it needed either...)

In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks and cook until just soft but not browned. Add the carrot, chicken stock, apricot pulp and salt.

Puree. Pass through a strainer if you want it smoother. Otherwise, chill and enjoy.

Makes four to six servings.

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© 2009 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" http://www.freshcatering.blogspot.com If you are not reading this at the aforementioned URL or in your RSS feed, the site you are looking at are violating my copyright. And that's rude.

Carrot museum!!!

90% of the apricots grown commercially in the United States come from California

Ilva once made a similar soup...check it out!

Apricot means "precious" in Latin. (I keep giggling imagining Golum referring to the Ring as "My Apricot.")

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Comments:
That is and original recipe! I have never heard of this combination.
 
What a great recipe! I love fruity soups and have never seen a recipe with apricots. Can't wait until they're in season!
 
Just when I thought I was looking forward to winter produce, I KNEW somene would go and make stone fruit seem irresistable.

Rachel, Rachel...someone was smiling down on you. What a bargain. Delicious.
 
I am so amazed at your creativity! I never would have thought to put carrots and apricots together to make a soup. Yum!
 
Just wanted to know if you would be open to selling advertising on your blog to related food stores. If yes, please get in touch with me as I would be interested in buying an ad. I could not find an email address on your blog which is why I am commenting here. Please feel free to delete this comment. Thank you!
 
Im usually not one for cold soups, but this looks so refreshing for such a hot time of year! I must try it!
 
This looks brilliant--Must try it as soon as!
 
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