Recipe provided by Chef Daniel Boulud

 

Chilled Spring Carrot Soup with Prawns, Lime and Coriander Cream 

Makes 6 servings
 
The Soup:
1/4   cup extra virgin olive oil 
1      leek, sliced ½” (white part only)
1      onion, sliced ½”
1      stalks celery, sliced ½”
1/2   teaspoon garlic, chopped 
2g    tablespoons ginger, chopped 
12    pieces California bunch carrots, 2 set aside and the rest thinly sliced ¼”
2      quarts vegetable stock
1      sachet (½ tsp each coriander, fennel, peppercorns, parsley, thyme)
1      pint fresh carrot juice
2      limes, zested and juiced 
Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Whipped Cream:
1     cup heavy cream
1     tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 
1     lime, zested 
Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Shrimp:
2     tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
18   large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1     clove crushed garlic 
4    ½” thick ginger slices
1     teaspoon chili flake
Salt and pepper to taste       

To serve:
Carrot shavings
Carrot dice
Cooked and chilled shrimp
Whipped 
Cilantro leaves 

The Soup and Garnish:
In a large pot over medium heat start with two tablespoons of the olive oil and then
sweat the leek, onion, celery, ginger until very tender, about 15 minutes.

Add carrots, salt, pepper, and then continue to sweat for 10 minutes more.

Add the stock and sachet then simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots are very tender.

Purée the soup until it is very smooth and then strain it through a fine mesh sieve.

Chill the soup for several hours or until it is very cold.

Add the fresh carrot juice then season with the lime juice.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Take one of the carrots that were set aside and use the mandolin or peeler to
ake very thin lengthwise shavings.

Store the shavings in ice water.

When ready to serve, drain the water and pat dry.

Cut the remaining carrot into a small ½” x ½” dice.

Then heat the remaining olive oil in a small sauté pan and toss in the carrots.

Gently cook them with no color until they are tender about 7 minutes.

Season the carrots with a squeeze of lime juice and then refrigerate until ready to use. 

In a large bowl whip the cream to medium peaks and then add in the chopped
cilantro leaves and lime zest.

Season the cream with salt and pepper to taste, then store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

For the Shrimp:
In a medium sauté pan bring the olive oil to medium heat.

Toss in the garlic and then cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side or until
they are fully cooked all the way through.

Season them with the chili flake and salt then store in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

To Serve: 
Place the carrot shavings, cooked carrot dice, shrimp, cilantro leaves,
lime zest and dots of the whipped cream stylishly down in a bowl.

Just before enjoying pour the chilled soup over the garnish at the table and enjoy.