The aphid hoards are descending on your garden. How can you keep them at bay? USU Extension Entomologist, Diane Alston, will help you nurture the aphid nemesis, the lady beetle. Also today is a recipe for Ginger Carrot Soup along with a reading by journalist and bee keeper Nancy Williams on how carrots helped win the Trojan War.
Ginger Carrot Soup
As Heard on The Zesty Garden, Utah Public Radio
Recipe courtesy Nancy Williams, Providence, UT
Prep Time: 30 min
Inactive Prep Time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 Tbsp sweet cream butter
2 Onions, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons grated, fresh ginger
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup half-n-half
½ cup fresh orange juice
Salt and white pepper
Sour cream
Parsley springs, for garnish
Directions
In a 6-quart pan, over medium high heat, add butter and onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are limp. Add broth, carrots, and ginger. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced.
Remove from heat and transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender). Don’t fill the blender more than half way. Do in batches if you have to. Cover the blender and then hold a kitchen towel over the top of the blender. Be careful when blending hot liquids as the mixture can spurt out of the blender. Pulse the blender to start it and then puree until smooth. Return to the pan and add buttermilk, half-n-half and orange juice, and stir over high heat until hot. For a smoother flavor, bring soup to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and parsley springs.
*When blending hot liquids, remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel on the top of the machine, pulse a few times, then process on high speed until smooth.
