Smoked Carrot Bisque

As summertime comes to a close and the crispness returns to the air, we start to see the return of delicious soups and stews. Why not extend the summer barbecue season by heating up the grille and preparing this flavourful purée that will appeal to vegetarians and meat-lovers?

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Main ingredient:

What you'll need:

5 pounds carrots, peeled and trimmed 

Mesquite or hickory wood chips, as needed for smoker

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 1/2 tsps ground turmeric

2 tsps curry powder

5 quarts vegetable stock

1/4 cup butter

2 cups cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Place whole, peeled carrots onto smoker rack. Smoke 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2) Heat vegetable oil in a 1 1/2 to 2 gallon soup pot over medium heat. Stir in onions, jalapeno pepper, and garlic, cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Chop carrots, and add to onions along with celery; continue cooking another 5 to 10 minutes until the celery softens.

3) Stir in turmeric and curry powder until evenly distributed; pour in vegetable stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

4) Strain the vegetables out of the soup and puree in a blender until smooth. Pour the puree back into the soup, and continue simmering 30 minutes more.

5) Whisk butter into soup until melted, then stir in cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain soup through a fine mesh strainer before serving.

For the original recipe source, please visit allrecipies.com.