Carrot Ginger Curry Soup with Espelette Croutons and Pea Shoots
Onions
The bioactive compounds in alliums mainly include organosulfur compounds, polyphenols, dietary fibers, and saponins. Flavonoids, particularly flavonols from alliums (quercetin major flavenoid in onions), have been demonstrated to have the antioxidant, anticancer, hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial activities.
see:
Carrots
The four types of phytochemicals found in carrots, namely phenolics, carotenoids, polyacetylenes, and ascorbic acid. These chemicals aid in the risk reduction of cancer and cardiovascular diseases due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, plasma lipid modification, and anti-tumour properties.
see:
Phytochemicals in Daucus carota and Their Health Benefits—Review Article
Ginger
Gingerol, or sometimes [6]-gingerol, is the active constituent of fresh ginger. Chemically, gingerol is a relative of capsaicin and piperine, the compounds which give chilli peppers and black pepper their respective spicyness. It is normally found as a pungent yellow oil, but also can form a low-melting crystalline solid.
See: Science and Health Benefits of Ginger
Curry
Curry powder contains an abundance of antioxidants, such as curcumin, quercetin, pinene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cuminal .
8 medium sized carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups carrot juice
1/2 tbsp. curry
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 tabsp butter
croutons and pea shoots for garnish
salt, black pepper, espelette pepper
Preparing the Roasted Carrots
Clean and cut the carrots into 1 inch pieces. Saute the carrots on top of the stove with olive oil (if you have duck fat that will enhance the overall flavor of the dish. Roast the carrots in the oven for 25 minutes at 425F.
Saute the onions in a soup pot till they just begin to brown then add the ginger and curry. Stir on low heat to release the aromas then add the carrots, chicken stock and carrot juice (we use Bolthouse-100%). Cook for 5 minutes on low flame or until carrots are soft. Let the soup cool a few minutes then blend the soup and pass through a sieve. Whisk in the butter before serving.
Preparing the Roasted Carrots
A day before preparing the soup dice a french roll into small cubes (aobut 1/3 inch). Saute the bread croutons in olive oil. Light season with Espelette pepper. After toasted rest the crouton on paper towels till ready to garnish the soup.
Assembling the Dish
Ladle soup into bowls, add croutons and garnish with pea shoots and a dash of Espelette pepper and olive oil.
