Chilled Carrot Soup with Fines Herbes Mousse
This intense soup from the French Laundry seems to capture the very essence of fresh carrots.
Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SOUP:3 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1" rounds
2½ cups fresh carrot juice
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. honey
Pinch curry powder
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
FOR THE MOUSSE:
¼ cup crème frâiche
1 chive, finely chopped
1 small sprig parsley, minced
1 small sprig chervil, minced
1 small sprig tarragon, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the soup: Put carrots, 1¼ cups of the carrot juice, butter, honey, and curry into a medium pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid has evaporated and carrots are very soft, about 1 hour. Add cream, increase heat to medium, and simmer for 3 minutes.2. Purée carrot mixture and remaining 1¼ cups carrot juice in the jar of a blender. Pass soup through a fine sieve into a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
3. For the mousse: Whisk crème frâiche in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in chives, parsley, chervil, and tarragon.
4. Divide soup between 4 chilled soup bowls and place a spoonful of mousse in center of each bowl on top of soup.
I substituted Agave Nectar for the honey, and only used chives and parsley for the herb mousse. It was OUTSTANDING!
Next time I'll have the proper ingredients on hand, and make it exact, but it was great!!
I substituted Agave Nectar for the honey, and only used chives and parsley for the herb mousse. It was OUTSTANDING!
Next time I'll have the proper ingredients on hand, and make it exact, but it was great!!
Rating: 5