Saffron is one of my favorite spices to cook with. Yes, it can be a bit costly, but you really need very little saffron to get a huge bang for your buck. Here it gives a luscious, exotic taste to the carrots, which are naturally sweet. Saffron is also a visual delight; in this soup the saffron looks like monks’ robes tossed against a vibrant orange background. Consider this dish a treat for all your senses.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- Sea salt
- 3 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 6 cups Magic Mineral Broth, Chicken Magic Mineral Broth or Nourishing Bone Broth, plus more if needed
- 2½ teaspoons Meyer lemon zest*
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice, plus more if needed*
- ¼ teaspoon dark maple syrup, plus more if needed
- Chermoula (for garnish, optional)
Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, saffron and ¼ teaspoon salt and sauté until well combined. Pour in ½ cup of the broth and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the remaining 5½ cups of broth and another ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
Put the lemon zest in a blender and purée the soup in batches until very smooth, each time adding the cooking liquid first and then the carrot mixture. If need be, add additional broth to reach the desired thickness. Return the soup to the pot over low heat, stir in the lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of salt, and gently reheat. Taste; you may want to add another squeeze of lemon, a pinch or two of salt, or a drizzle of maple syrup. Serve with chermoula or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
*Meyer lemons are milder and sweeter than most store-bought lemons. If you don’t have Meyer lemons, use 2 teaspoons of lemon juice combined with 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed tangerine or orange juice. As for the zest, regular lemon zest is an acceptable substitute.
About this recipe
Recipes reprinted with permission from Clean Soups, copyright Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, 2016. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
