Carrot-Ginger Soup

From the kitchen of Martin James – Copenhagen, Denmark

Hot or cold, this soup is a great starter and can be a meal in itself. It's thickened with potatoes - not cream - but tastes self-indulgent just the same.

1 (2-inch piece) of fresh ginger, peeled
4 large shallots, peeled and cut in half
Grated zest of 1 large orange
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth
1 cup orange juice
5 to 10 drops Tabasco, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
Plain yogurt or sour cream for garnish

Place the ginger, shallots, and orange zest in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until fine, about 10 seconds. Transfer the mixture to the insert of the slow cooker. Add the carrots, potatoes, broth, and orange juice. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, or until the vegetables are very soft.

Use a hand-held immersion blender to puree the soup right in the insert. (Alternatively, the soup can be pureed in batches in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender.) Taste the soup, then season with the Tabasco and soy sauce.

Serve the soup hot or cold, garnished with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings