Meatless Monday Recipe
Meatless Monday has become de rigueur in many restaurants around the country. In honor of this new tradition, we’re going to feature a favorite meatless recipe each Monday. This week’s Meatless Monday recipe is a tasty carrot soup that’s good on its own, but great with a zesty onion relish. This recipe is vegan (when you use olive oil instead of butter) and gluten free.
Carrot Soup with Onion Relish
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
2 Tbs butter, olive oil, or a mixture
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 pound carrots, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
2 Tbs chopped parsley
3 Tbs white rice
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Salt & freshly milled pepper
7 cups water; or vegetable stock
Onion Relish
1/3 cup finely diced white onion
1 Serrano chile, finely chopped (any hot pepper will work here)
2 Tbs chopped cilantro
Few leaves of basil
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, bay leaf, parsley, and rice; cook to soften the onion, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, 1/2 tsp salt, and some pepper and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, make the relish by mixing all the ingredients together. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Puree 2 cups of the soup until smooth, then puree the rest, leaving a little texture and fleck of carrot. Taste for salt and serve each bowl with a spoonful of the relish.