Recipe: Cream of Carrot-Top Soup

Cream of Carrot-Top Soup
rec.food.recipes/Marianne Evans/1990

This recipe came out in the Portland Oregonian last week. I tried it last night and was very pleased with the results. Not only is it tasty, but it is very pleasing to the eye with the orange soup centered with the green soup, and the white cream in the middle. I served it as a dinner meal with crusty bread.

Source: Tom McCombie, chef/owner of Chez T.J.'s in Mt. View, California)

4 T butter, divided
1 large onion, diced medium-fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp whole fresh thyme leaves
4 cups chicken stock
6 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 medium potatoes, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 cup milk or half and half, about
2 T chopped parsley
3 cups tender young carrot tops
1 qt boiling water
3/4 cup whipping cream

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute gently until golden. Add thyme and cook 1 minute more.

Add chicken stock, carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, and simmer 30 minutes more.

Remove bay leaf and puree mixture by batches in food processor fitted with steel blade to desired fineness. Return puree to pan. Thin to desired consistency with milk. Bring soup to simmer. Little by little, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add parsley and keep warm.

Meanwhile, pick over carrot tops removing stems and yellow leaves. Plunge greens into boiling water. When water returns to a boil, add 2 teaspoons salt. Drain carrot tops. Puree greens along with 2 cups pureed carrot soup in processor.

To serve, fill soup bowls 2/3 full with orange carrot soup. Ladle green carrot soup in middle of soup bowl to fill it. Top soup with dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 4 meal servings or 6-8 first course servings

NOTES: I did not peel the carrots, but peeled the potatoes. The original recipe didn't specify. I used skim milk; and light sour cream in place of the whipped cream garnish.