Roasted Carrot Soup

My lovely mother was raving over some carrot soup that she and my dad love, so I asked her to forward the recipe to me one day.  I finally got around to trying it and I'm so glad that I did!  It's rich, creamy, and perfect for a chilly autumn day.  The fennel and cloves add a nice depth of flavor. Instead of sauteing the vegetables, I decided to roast them.  I also added another clove of garlic, a little heavy cream and a hint of ginger.  Other than that, I pretty much stuck to the ingredients.  Bravo, mom!  

Ingredients:
Serves 6

• 2 lb carrots, peeled and chopped 
• 1 1/2 c onion, chopped 
• 3 large whole garlic cloves, peeled 
• 1 tbsp butter, melted 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 5 c chicken broth 
• 1/2 c heavy cream 
• 3 tbsp butter 
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves 
• Optional:  1 tbsp grated ginger 
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Toss the carrots, onion and garlic cloves with the melted butter and olive oil in a large bowl to coat.  Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.  

Meanwhile, in a large pot, add the chicken broth, heavy cream, fennel seeds, cinnamon cloves and optional ginger.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add the roasted vegetables to the liquid and simmer for 15 minutes.  

Using an immersion blender, food processor or blender, process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Ladle the soup into serving bowls.  Garnish with sour cream and freshly sliced ginger.

Enjoy!