Creamy Carrot & Jalapeno Soup

This luscious, creamy carrot soup has just the right amount of spice, thanks to sautéed jalapeño peppers. Serve it with a green salad and a loaf of crusty bread.

I wish I could take credit for this creamy (but healthy) carrot and jalapeno soup recipe, but the nod goes to another food blogger. Enter Rachel Riggs of The Fromagette. Rachel is not just another passionate home cook, writing about the recipes she makes in her kitchen. Rather, she has a background that any cheese lover would envy (A "cheese lover" is what you call someone that can inhale a wheel of Brie in two days flat, right? Not that I would know anything about that.)

For five years, Rachel owned a high-end cheese shop in Washington state. Her unique palate and bank of knowledge that she developed as a cheesemonger led to the imminent signing of a book deal. The book will be about - you guessed it - cheese, glorious cheese. If you are picturing a collection of gooey dishes, loaded with calories and fat, think again.

Rachel's passion for cheese developed when she was living in San Diego. At least two times per week, she and her husband visited their local cheese shop, putting their trust in the cheesemonger to guide them through a process of discovery. She saved every receipt and mapped out the maturation of her palate, to the benefit of her customers and future readers.

The cookbook will be filled with recipes that use cheese as an accent or to complement the main flavors of the dish, much like the sharp cheddar in this soup recipe. There will be sections on choosing the right cheese when entertaining guests, "whether it's your Aunt Mabel or your friends visiting from Europe", as Rachel succinctly explains. In addition, there will be instructions on making all of those wonderful condiments, such as chutneys and pates, that you will find in any cheese shop worth its rind. I'm sold!

How did I come to know Rachel? We were paired together in the Adopt-a-Blogger program that is run by Kristen Doyle of the popular food blog, Dine & Dish. I am supposed to be Rachel's mentor, but found that I have a lot to learn from her, and am glad just to be her friend and fan.

The carrot jalapeño soup:

Note: I made two small adaptations to Rachel's recipe. I substituted brown rice for the white rice for an extra wallop of fiber. Since the soup needed to simmer longer to cook the brown rice thoroughly, I added all of the chicken broth at once, rather than in two additions.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes

Add celery, carrots, jalapenos and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Do not be hesitant about the use of 5 jalapeno peppers. The heat is just enough to pleasantly graze the back of your throat.

Add rice, allspice and cinnamon and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and rice are very tender, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, puree in a blender or food processor in batches. If you use this method, please let the soup cool slightly so you do not blow the lid off the blender and burn yourself.) Return soup to heat. Add cream and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each one with a liberal sprinkle of cheese and chives.

Creamy Carrot & Jalapeno Soup
Recipe by Rachel Riggs, The Fromagette

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
6 celery stalks, sliced
6 carrots, peeled, sliced
5 Jalapeno chiles, halved, seeds and membranes removed
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup uncooked brown rice
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
8 cups chicken stock/broth
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
Finely chopped chives or green onions, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots, jalapenos and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften, about 15 minutes.

Add rice, allspice and cinnamon and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and rice are very tender, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, puree in a blender or food processor in batches. If you use this method, please let the soup cool slightly so you do not blow the lid off the blender and burn yourself.) Return soup to heat. Add cream and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish each one with a liberal sprinkle of cheese and chives.

Serves 6 to 8.

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