Roasted Carrot Soup With Dukkah Spice And Yogurt Food

GRILLED CARROTS WITH YOGURT, CARROT-TOP OIL AND DUKKAH

Steps:

• Wash and peel the carrots and trim the tops, leaving about 1 inch/3 centimeters of the greens attached. Measure out 1 packed cup/40 grams leafy carrot tops and wash well to get rid of any grit. Squeeze out as much water as possible, and pat dry. Roughly chop the carrot tops then transfer them to a blender.
• Add the tarragon, 6 1/2 tablespoons/100 milliliters oil and a small pinch of salt. Blitz until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, then transfer the mixture to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Strain the mixture, extracting as much oil as possible. (You should have about 3 tablespoons/45 milliliters.) Discard the solids.
• Meanwhile, prepare a steamer for your carrots by heating water in your steamer or setting a colander over a large pot with a few inches of simmering water. Once ready, add the carrots and steam for 10 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the thick parts with a knife but the carrots are not overly soft. Transfer the carrots to a large, shallow dish along with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons/20 milliliters oil, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Toss to combine.
• In a large bowl, whisk the honey, vinegar and a tiny pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Make the dukkah: Add all the dukkah ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts are roughly chopped. (You should have 1 scant cup.)
• Heat a well-oiled grill pan over high. Working in a few batches to avoid overcrowding, grill the carrots on all sides, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer the grilled carrots to the bowl with the honey dressing, and toss gently to combine.
• Season the yogurt with 1/4 teaspoon salt, then spread it out on a large platter. Drizzle all over with the carrot-top oil then add the carrots, arranging them artfully so they're all facing the same direction. Spoon a generous amount of dukkah on top and pass the rest.

ROASTED-CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut onion into 8 wedges (keep root end intact to hold layers together). Toss onion, carrots, endive, oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and spread in a single layer. Roast vegetables, turning occasionally, until edges are deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Cut off root end from onion. Transfer all vegetables to a large saucepan, and add bay leaf. Add enough stock to just cover (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer, and cook until carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, and discard bay leaf. Puree vegetables and stock in a blender until smooth (work in batches, if necessary, to avoid filling blender more than halfway).
• Transfer puree to a clean pan; place over low heat. Stir in cream; add stock to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper; stir in ginger. If desired, pipe creme fraiche onto each serving, or place dollop on top.