Meet Julia Kark Callander
of Julia's Vegan Kitchen.
She's a peach.
And when I invited her into my kitchen to make one of her signature soups, she gladly obliged.
We like her over here.
Listen, I know, I know Thanksgiving is in a couple of days, and you've probably already made a lovely menu, but really, you should change all of your plans and make this soup: Julia's Carrot Ginger Soup with Spiced Chickpeas. I'm still dreaming about it.
I've been following Julia's food blog for a number of years now, having met her only once before at a party in Echo Park, so having her in my kitchen was like having a celebrity, really. And she carried on with such grace and ease in her new space, making casual conversation while she chopped and pureed, minced and stirred; it was a pleasure to watch how easy she made it all seem -- especially for someone like me: for some reason I will shy away from soups that require pureeing. I'm a changed woman, I tell you.
PS The addition of the spiced chickpeas to the soup is pure genius. Do not be lazy and/or impatient about the chickpeas. They need to happen.
[Hello, Autumn.
Let's cuddle and eat soup, shall we?]
Carrot Ginger Soup with Spiced Chickpeas
courtesy of Julia's Vegan Kitchen
serves 4-6
ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 6-8 carrots, chopped
- 6+ cups vegetable stock (she recommends a combination of water, Better Than Boullion, and Kyoto Red miso paste)
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
- about a tablespoon of Chinese 5 Spice Blend (Julia makes this herself with equal parts ground star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper corn)
- garnish options: hulled sesame seeds, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, Sriracha, cilantro, and chopped scallions -- I recommend all of the above!
directions
Start dealing with the chickpeas first because they take the longest.
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine: chickpeas, 5-Spice Blend, olive oil, and salt.
3. Lay out chickpea mixture onto baking pan or cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until crispy.
Then the soup.
1. Heat olive oil in a stock pot or heavy sauce pan. Add onions, garlic, ginger. Sauté several minutes.
2. Add spices and carrots. Sauté
3. Add Boullion-Miso stock, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 20-30 minutes until carrots are very soft.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
5. With a handheld blender, puree the soup. Bring back to heat when done.
6. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, add chickpeas and garnish
Guest: Julia's Vegan Kitchen | Rustic Bread: Atwater Village Bakery | Vegetables: eRoots CSA