Spicy Tomato, Carrot & Ginger Soup

I almost asphyxiated my handsome lover on a cold afternoon this January. He declared a state of emergency as extreme pepper gasses, emitting from the kitchen, blazed through every room in the house. The biting January winds were threat enough to prevent us Californians (aka: weather wimps) from opening every window in the house to chase away seared habanero pepper fumes.

Instead, we hunkered down. We cried, we coughed, we laughed, we managed to set the table. And finally, we tasted the soup. The ginger and habanero did not disappoint. They packed a punch and danced a dramatic tango in balance with the sweetness of the carrots and tomatoes. I fell in love at first bite. The handsome lover...well, let's just say I added more carrots to his bowl and he ate enough to demonstrate his love that night. Immense love. In fact, he announced, the heat of the soup was a relief after the pepper gas appetizer.

Undeterred by Peppergate, I returned to the kitchen to measure out the ingredients, reconsider the pepper preparation, and write a recipe to share. I created this soup with fresh vegetables from my recent market day shopping. The Holy Trinity of this soup is sweet, tangy, spicy. Feel free to utilize alternate and favorite vegetables that contribute those flavors.

This recipe has been reincarnated at least two more times since January. Once, switching up the sweet, I included french pumpkin. Last week, to service the mixed heat-tolerance palates of dinner party guests (French, Russian, Mexican, us) I switched the sweet and spicy; adding sweet potatoes and replacing the habaneros of the original recipe with some smoky (yet more mild) chipotle en adobo. Freestyle with this recipe. Just do yourself one favor; don't sear the fresh habanero pepper (plus seeds) in a hot oiled pan. Because pepper-blasting your handsome lover is not as sexy as it may sound. Trust me.

Ingredients

• 5 medium/large tomatoes
• 2 carrots, chopped in knuckle-size chunks
• 1 red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, rough chop
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to cover bottom of pot
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or white)
• 1 Thai OR habanero OR jalapeño fresh chile
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Seed chiles. Do not chop them. Warm chiles, turning constantly, on a hot dry pan for a few minutes. Do not brown them. Remove from heat. Put aside.
2. Score tomato bottoms with an "x". Blanch carrots and tomatoes in boiling water until scored tomato skin begins to peel. Remove tomatoes. Peel skin. Put aside. Remove Carrots. Put aside. Keep blanching water.
3. Sauté olive oil, red onion, sugar. After onions caramelize a bit, add cumin, paprika, cayenne.
4. Add garlic and carrots. Stir ingredients and spices to incorporate flavors.
5. Chop & add tomatoes to the pot. Add chiles. Add enough water from the blanching pot to cover ingredients by about 1 inch (approximately 1/2-1 cup).
6. Cook 15-20 minutes, check broth flavor. Add salt to taste. Adjust spices to taste.
7. Once vegetables can be easily poked with a fork, turn off heat.
8. Remove the chiles.
9. Add a handful of cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.
10. Blend with immersion or regular blender.

Garnishes

• Fresh avocado
• Creme fraiche or Crema or sour cream
• Toasted sesame or pumpkin or sunflower seeds

~Makes 4-5 servings~