Flower & Garden Show

For those of you who want to brave the Navy Pier crowds on a nice day, I'll be at the Chicagoland Flower and Garden Show tomorrow demonstrating Carrot-Coconut Soup.

If you can't make it, please enjoy the recipe. Late March and early April are miserable months for those of us who try to eat locally. Spring is no where near the produce section or the farmers markets, but the thought of one more turnip or hard-skinned squash is too much to bear. This soup is a great transition recipe. It's got a sunshine-y color that warms the soul just to see it. It's also a great reminder of sunnier days ahead. While I wasn't able to find any of the freshly dug carrots, I've heard rumor that they're out there. Also, some localvores may still have their carrots in cold storage. With those, add local onions, stock, butter and even cilantro if you're good at growing herbs inside.

Carrot-Coconut Soup
Resist any urge to add more Serrano chile; the heat overwhelms the delicate sweetness of the carrots. I’ve garnished the soup with butter-poached shrimp, but it could easily be replaced with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche and is equally delicious (and beautiful) served without garnish. This soup is also very good when served cold.

For 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot-Coconut Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
½ Serrano chili, seeded and minced
1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced
A 1-inch slice of ginger, peeled
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cups sliced carrots, approximately 6 large carrots
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (see recipe in Taking Stock)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup light coconut milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish
Cilantro for garnish
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
½ pound unsalted butter (optional)

EQUIPMENT SUGGESTED: A heavy-bottomed 4-quart sauce pan, a food processor or a powerful hand blender, a fine mesh sieve, a 9-inch sauté pan.

METHODS:
The soup: Heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat until the foam has subsided. Sauté the onion, chili, lemongrass and ginger until softened – 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, chicken stock and cook until the carrots are tender – 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Purée in a food processor or with a powerful hand blender and return to the cleaned pot. For a finer texture, you can force the soup through a fine mesh sieve.

Butter Poached Shrimp: Bring the butter to a bare simmer over low heat in a shallow sauté pan.

Add the shrimp and cook until just pink approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
Finishing the soup: Return the soup to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the coconut milk and season with freshly ground white pepper.

Serving the soup: Ladle into shallow soup bowls. If desired, garnish each bowl with two butter-poached shrimp and a little cilantro.

Do-ahead notes: The soup can be made and puréed one day ahead and refrigerated or it can be made up to two weeks ahead and frozen.
Second Use: The butter from poaching the shrimp can be frozen and used later to make shrimp and grits.