Recipes from a volunteer at Muir Woods

Curried Carrot Soup

• 4 Tbs butter
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 lb carrots, washed, scrapped and cut into 1/2 in pieces
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• rind and juice of 1 orange
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2-4 Tbs chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

Melt 2 Tbs butter in a large pot, add the ginger and curry and cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, allowing the flavor of the curry to develop. Add the carrots and a pinch of salt, let the carrots sweat 4-5 min on very low heat. Add the sherry, lemon juice, orange rind and juice, stock and salt, and cook another 10-15 min.

When the carrots are tender, puree in a blender, correct their seasoning and return to the heat. When the dish is finished, toss in dots of butter, lots of parsley, season with a grinding of black pepper and serve.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbs sugar
• 4 tsp curry powder
• 8 cups cauliflower florets (from one large head), chopped
• 10 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2" cubes (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 7 cups chicken broth
• plain yogurt
• chopped fresh mint

Heat oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, stirring often, about 5 min. Add sugar and curry powder; stir 1 min. Add cauliflower and potatoes; stir one min. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 35 min. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; top with yogurt and some mint.