Feast of the Archangels, September 29-Carrot Soup
On September 29, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels. This day is called "Michaelmas" in many countries and is also one of the harvest feast days. This day marks the beginning of legal and university terms in many parts of Europe. In some parts of Europe, especially Germany, Denmark, and Austria, a special wine called "Saint Michael's Love" is drunk today. The foods for this day vary depending on nationality. In England, for example, goose was the traditional meal for Michaelmas, eaten for prosperity. France has waffles or Gaufres, and the traditional fare in Scotland is a scone-like cake and, most importantly, carrots. According to a Scottish custom, women would harvest wild carrots on Michaelmas by digging triangular holes with a three-pronged rake. The holes represent St. Michael's shield, and the rake represents his trident. As the Autumn months approach, let us celebrate the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael with this hearty fall soup!
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds carrots
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get a baking sheet. Peel and cut your carrots into ½ inch pieces to prepare them. Place the carrots on the baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Toss the carrots and arrange them in a single layer. Roast the carrots until caramelized and soft, tossing halfway for about 25 to 40 minutes. Once the carrots are almost done roasting, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable broth and water while scraping up any browned bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the roasted carrots to the pot when out of the oven. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Once the soup is finished, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line, or the soup could overflow and explode!) Add the butter, lemon juice, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Add additional salt and pepper, if necessary, to taste. Add another tablespoon of butter if you’d like more richness or a little more lemon juice if it needs more zing. Blend again, and serve.