Carrot Tomato Bisque

A week or so ago when the Northeast (and basically everywhere else) was dealing with some serious deep freeze temps, the man and I decided we wanted nothing more then tomato coup and grilled cheese while sitting in front of the fireplace. Well, apparently everyone else in Philadelphia had the same idea because tomato soup was nowhere to be found in the grocery story. I begrudgingly settled for a Carrot Tomato Bisque from Campbell's but was less then excited for dinner as it wasn't my traditional idea of tomato soup. Turns out I was totally wrong and this soup was better than any other "tomato" soup I'd had before.

Now, as a rule I'm not one to purchase canned soups for a long list of reasons, but most prominently because of all the unnecessary sodium, sugar and general chemical junk that gets added. I find making my own soup cathartic and rewarding. When Nick requested this soup again not even a week later I knew I had to figure it out. Unfortunately Pinterest and Google turned up little in the way of "carrot tomato bisque" so I decided to wing it and see what happened one lazy Sunday night. Luckily, I hit the jackpot on my first try (that never happens with figure-it-out recipes for me) and this bisque could not have been easier. Perfect for a cold, winter night with a grilled cheese or garlic bread which is how we had it last week. I garnished mine with some parsley for freshness. The leftovers were just as good the next few days. This will definitely stay in our rotation!

PS: I learned a little something about soup vocabulary while writing out this recipe. Apparently soup is the overarching term for anything broth-based with or without additional "stuff" such as noodles, protein, veggies, etc.  Bisque is thick (and usually creamy) but generally smooth without chunky additions while chowders are also thick (and also usually creamy but again don't have to be, think Manhattan Clam Chowder) but with lots of "stuff" and texture. There's the something new you learned today, now you can relax. You're welcome 😉

 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cups peeled carrots, chopped into appx. 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 28 oz can of pureed tomato
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp sweetener of your choice (I used honey but you could use sugar, agave, or brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 heavy cream
• Salt to taste*

*Please note I generally do not use black pepper in my recipes because I do not like the flavor however if you are a fan you can certainly add it if you prefer. You could also add a touch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat if you prefer.

 

Directions:

1. Peel and chop carrots into appx. 1-inch pieces. Dice your onion.
2. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat (I used enameled cast iron) and add your butter. Once butter is melted, add carrots and onions and saute until fragrant and onions are becoming translucent - about 10 to 12 minutes. 
3. Add remaining ingredients (except cream) to the pot and lower heat to medium-low (mine was a 2-3 out of 9) so that your soup is lightly bubbling but not at a rolling boil. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the largest carrot pieces are able to be easily pierced with a fork. 
4. Remove your pot from the heat and allow it to cool so that the bubbling stops, about 2-3 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until everything is smooth. This process took me about 5 minutes. To speed it up you could mash the carrots with a potato masher in the pot before you begin with the immersion blender. 
5. Add the cream (you can add more or less depending on how creamy you want it - truth be told it would be left out altogether if you want a super healthy soup but I'm not about that deprivation). 
6. Serve immediately and top with fresh herbs (parsley, basil or dill would be best). Pairs best with grilled cheese or crusty bread for dunking.