Cook's Corner - Terribly Trendy Soup

I've never been particularly trendy. I never had in-line skates back then; I don't have a scooter now. My fashion sense consists basically of waiting years for my chic sister to tire of a favorite garment before she finally passes it on to me. Or of returning to the store where I once bought a beloved pair of shoes, only to react with stunned disbelief when the salesperson tells me they discontinued that style years ago.

I am just as clueless when it comes to trendy food. Of course, living overseas, I have a built-in excuse for not keeping up with the latest fads. Half the time, I couldn't be hip if I wanted to. Where would I get Thai green curry sauce or serrano chiles in adobo sauce, or, for that matter, the edamame (Japanese soybeans) my sister tells me are all the rage in Washington these days?

The sad truth is that even when I do manage to obtain some rare prized ingredient, I never know what to do with it. When sun-dried tomatoes were at the peak of their popularity, I proudly carried a packet back with me to Moscow; the bag ended up gathering dust on my shelf. I was so afraid of wasting them that I couldn't bring myself to open the package. Pathetic, I know.

And so, after having been served carrot-ginger soup at countless dinner parties so far this year, I finally bring you a recipe. The friend who shared it claims to have seen at least one version a week in the German food magazines she subscribes to. As usual, I'm the last one on the block to make it. If, for some reason, you are as clueless about food fashion as I am, then allow me to recommend this variation on a trend.

I toned down my friend's soup, which called for so much ginger (as well as hot pepper) that my hair nearly fell out. Indeed, the already reduced quantity of ginger in this batch proved too much for my husband, so follow the guidelines of your own taste buds.

Carrot-Ginger Soup
15 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
500 g (about 1 lb.) carrots, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
100 g (3 1/2 oz.) shallots, chopped
115 g (4 oz.) dried apricots, soaked 15 min.
in boiling water, then drained and chopped
10-20 g (0.35 oz. to 0.7 oz.) fresh
ginger, peeled and grated
700 ml (3 cups) vegetable broth
2 g (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
1 g (1/4 teaspoon) ground cloves
A dash of freshly grated nutmeg
110 g (1/2 cup) cream
(a dash of white wine, to taste)
Garnish: unsweetened whipped cream, chopped cilantro leaves

Saute vegetables and apricots in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add broth and spices, bring to boil and then simmer, covered, about 25 minutes or until carrots are very tender. Puree the soup in a blender of food processor, then add cream (and wine, if using).

Serve garnished with whipped cream and cilantro. Serves 2 generously.