Making soup is rarely a well planned event for me, more of a clean-out-the-fridge-and-see-what-transpires type of affair.
Sometimes the stars align and the end result actually inspires a trip to the grocery and an attempt at re-creation/”recipe” making;
this Carrot-Miso Soup with Ginger did exactly that.
It starts with lots of ginger and garlic, peeled and minced.
Slooooow cooked on (very) low in a bit of olive oil
In the meantime, the carrots, celery, and onion got washed and chopped,
And added to the pot.
The heat can come up a bit more now but still not too high, we’re not looking to brown the garlic or onions at all.
When the onions are translucent, add a few pinches of salt, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a few grinds of fresh black pepper, and saute a bit more before adding enough water to cover the vegetables
Once the celery is very soft remove the pot from the heat and add miso.
Start with a soup spoon full, it’s salty and easy to overdo and of course easier to add then to subtract.
I can be a bit lazy and I add the paste right to the soup but if you are new to miso or less confident in the kitchen (or just less lazy), it’s easier to control the amount and to dissolve it completely if you spoon off some of the soup broth into a small bowl and add the miso to the broth, stirring to dissolve, before adding the thinned paste to the pot.
Use an immersion blender to puree.
I left mine a bit chunky, I love a variety of texture, but you could certainly go all the way to a smooth puree.
I garnished with an abundant sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro.
I love the contrast of the savory, herbaceous essence of the cilantro with the sweet undertones of carrots, miso, and ginger so don’t leave that part out unless you really don’t care for cilantro.
As with nearly all soups, the flavor gets better for days just make sure not to boil vigorously when you are reheating to preserve the live probiotic properties in the miso.
