This is going to sound sooooo cliché!  So bourgeois!  I watched that damned movie, Julie & Julia and don't you know it made me acknowledge what I'm doing wrong.  I forgot I don't always get it right on the first try.  I don't always make the perfect chicken or perfect soup and I have melt downs and MAN do I toss shit that comes out terrible.  And even my fool proof recipes are some times not fool proof.  It doesn't make me a bad cook.  We all have bad days or bad ingredients.  No Kidding huh?  

I was tempted to post this recipe and go with it, but there is trial and error to tell you about.  The first time I roasted whole carrots and the second time I diced them and saute'd them with onions until they were soft.  I think I prefer the roasted variety, they aren't so sweet and this soup has plenty of sweet.  It was plenty good as a sweet soup with The Scientist's garlic naan, but I prefer a roastier flavor that you get with roasted chunks of carrot.  

Never be afraid to change a recipe to suit you!  Even now I am considering GARLIC Roasted carrots for a rounder flavor, maybe with WHOLE CLOVES of garlic or even a WHOLE HEAD roasted and blended in!  Who knows!  I am,sometimes, such a rebel ya know....  A down right Maverick if you will, don'tcha know.   The possibilities are endless.  

Change it up to suit you.  Never look at a recipe and wonder if yours tastes the way it's supposed to.  Do YOU like it?  Are the textures and flavors appealing to you?  Then it's a hit!

OK, that's my sage advice.  Sorry.  The movie has made me want to be and do and cook MORE!  YAY!  *fucking sparklers* 

Soup

 

4 Large Shallots, or 1 Large Onion Diced

1 - 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

3 Medium Carrots

1 Large Butternut Squash (or 2 Small), Halved

Veggie Stock ( or chicken, that'll work too)

1/4 TSP Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger (dry or paste)

4 or 5 Sprigs of Thyme stripped from the woody stem

1 TBS Curry (or to taste.  I use 2 TBS)

2 TBS Buttah

Salt and White Pepper to Taste

¼ Cup Heavy Crème 

¼ Cup White Wine

Soup

Pre-heat Oven to 375

Slice your squash in half and poke holes in the outer skin.  Olive oil your sheet and all sides of the squash.  Roll your carrots around in the olive oil.  Roast for 45 minutes then allow to cool so they are handleable.

While that roasts dice your onion/shallot & garlic.  Toss those all in a big ass stock pot on low with 2 to 4 TBS Olive Oil and 2 TBS buttah and swirl em around.  The onions and garlic should get nice and translucent.  Once everyone is well on their way add 1 cup of the stock and your Thyme, 1/2 of the curry, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger.  Simmer until everything is nice and soft.  Add ¼ Cup Wine and ¼ cup half and half or real heavy cream (you may want to hold some back to get just the right consistency) and puree either with an Immersion blender or wait until you add the Roasted Squash* (which should be right about now) swirl it around so everyone is combined and blend it in batches in your blender.  Make sure it's nice and smooth and throw it back in the pot to continue heating. Add stock to get just the right velvety consistency.   Make sure it's not so thick it will burn in the bottom of the pan.  I like to toss it in a crock pot and let it heat on low until I am ready to eat.

NOMNOMNOM.  

This is a very sweet soup so make sure you have something tangy or savory to go with it.  I added a dollop of soup cream but you could easily use Greek yogurt too, and The Scientist made Garlic Naan…. Mmmmmm.  Or crispy fried sage leaves would be very tasty also….

Orrrr..... Parmessan crisps...... or Provalone Crisps....

Orrrr What would you suggest???

Remember that eating should ALWAYS be a Joy.  Never, no matter how *bad*, don't enjoy some part of your food.