Carrot Tahini Soup

Simple, warming vegetable soups have felt like one big bear hug when we’ve needed it the most. As our season begins to slow down (yippee!) it seems as though we’re able to let our guards down a bit. However, in doing so I think we’re starting to feel a little more vulnerable to getting sick. So in an effort to stay healthy and nourished I set out to harvest some of the sweetest carrots we’ve ever grown here at the farm and turn them into this lovely soup. We topped this lightly spiced carrot soup with a toasted pine nut and parsley gremolata and we are stoked with how well this turned out. I’ve been on a big “soup topper” kick and love how you can turn a simple soup into something extra special with the right garnish. Each spoonful was better than the last and I’d highly recommend serving this with some toasted sourdough bread for good measure. This is the perfect autumn soup to help keep you healthy and happy on a chilly evening. Grab a spoon!

Ingredients:

Pin Nut Gremolata

•     1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
•     1/4 cup minced parsley
•     zest of 1 lemon
•     1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
•     pinch of fine sea salt

Soup

•     2 tablespoons olive oil
•     1 yellow onion, diced
•     1 1/2 pounds carrots, scrubbed clean and chopped
•     4 cloves of garlic, minced
•     1 teaspoon ground cumin
•     1 teaspoon kosher salt
•     4 cups water + additional to thin if necessary
•     3 tablespoons tahini
•     1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Prepare the gremolata by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss well and set aside until ready to serve.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to soften. About 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots, garlic, cumin and salt. Stir until the veggies are coated in the spice mixture. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove the soup from the heat. Add the tahini and lemon juice. Carefully puree the soup in a blender until completely smooth and creamy.  Taste for seasonings.
4. Divide between bowls and top with a healthy portion of the pine nut gremolata.