Carrot and Caraway Soup

I continued my current deli-style sandwich obsession this week with roast beef and Swiss melts with horseradish mayo and caramelized onions. Although those mammoth sandwiches were nearly a meal in themselves, I still wanted a satisfying side and in this cool weather, a hearty cup of soup was just the ticket. I'm in the process of trying to use up all my carrots in preparation for my first winter CSA pickup this week, and what better way to use a large amount up than soup? This basic soup becomes the perfect accompaniment to a hearty deli sandwich with the simple addition of deeply aromatic caraway, tying the flavors of hearty rye bread with the sweet carrots. It's easy to overlook the ubiquitous carrot, but these versatile root vegetables are equally delightful uncooked in light, fresh salads and chilled soups as long-roasted and caramelized with a hearty pot roast. If you've got a few extra minutes for some chopping, peeling, and occasional stirring, try making up a pot of this soup for a warm and hearty side.

Carrot and Caraway Soup
adapted from Bon Appetit, via Epicurious
serves 2

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
12 ounces carrots, peeled, sliced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed in mortar with pestle
1 14-ounce can (or more) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Chopped fresh parsley

1. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 1 minute. Add carrots and sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add caraway and cook 30 seconds. Add 1 can broth. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 35 minutes.

2. Transfer soup to processor and puree, or remove pot from heat and puree using an immersion blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.