Curried Carrot and Apple Soup

• servings: 12
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped

Kosher salt

Pepper

2 pounds carrots, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds

1 1/4 pounds celery root, peeled and chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

7 gingersnap cookies

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

2 thyme sprigs

2 quarts chicken stock

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Chopped mint, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, leek, fennel and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, 9 minutes. Add the carrots, celery root, apple, gingersnaps, curry powder, garlic, ginger and thyme and cook, stirring, until the carrots and celery root soften slightly, 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are very tender, 25 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender with the sour cream and vinegar until smooth. Reheat the soup if necessary and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped mint and cilantro and serve.