The Food Desert Project - Chilled Carrot Soup with Pistachios

Just because you live in a food desert doesn't mean you can't offer your family haute cuisine.  I had been making this recipe for a delicious chilled carrot soup all summer.  One afternoon I realized that the recipe depends on well-cooked carrots, so canned carrots would work just fine - and, with some other substitutions to fit the parameters of this project, came up with this equally delicious version.  Chilled soups can often be one-note and boring: in this soup, the sweetness of the carrots balances the spicy notes from the curry powder and the cayenne pepper, and the sour cream and salty nuts have your palate firing in all four flavor areas.

3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1 tsp granulated onion
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp EVOO

2 14.5 oz cans of carrots, drained
1/2 tsp red curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
2-4 cups of water

Shelled pistachios and sour cream for garnish (or sub a similar nut, such as cashews or macadamias; I often use lowfat sour cream or strained yogurt)

Soak the first four ingredients in the white wine overnight in the refrigerator.  Drain, reserving the liquid. Saute the mixture in the EVOO until fragrant.  Add remaining ingredients except water and saute for a few minutes until the flavors blend.
Add half the water, and blend with an immersion blender or pour the entire recipe into a standing blender and blend until smooth.  Add remaining water, 1/4 cup at a time, blending after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.  Pour into a pitcher and place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.

To serve, pour into chilled serving dishes, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of pistachios.  Serves 6.  Nutritional Information