Chilled carrot ginger soup with pickled carrots and mint marshmallow recipe

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) olive oil
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green portions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• Pinch of dried hot red chile flakes
• 7 cups (1 ¾ quarts) Vegetable Stock
• 3 ounces plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) mild-flavored honey, such as orange blossom
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

• 1 cup (8 ounces) water
• ½ cup (4 ounces) champagne vinegar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 shallot, julienned
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Small sprig of fresh thyme
• Small sprig of fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 star anise
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces slim young carrots, scrubbed and sliced thinly with a mandoline

• Vegetable oil spray
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 ounces) water
• 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup (6½ ounces) light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) very strong mint tea (1 mint tea bag combined with ½ cup boiling water)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

To Prepare the Soup
1. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and leeks, and sauté until the leeks begin to soften but not brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, and red chile flakes, and sauté 30 seconds longer.
3. Pour in the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the yogurt, honey, and lime juice, and cook for 5 minutes more.
5. Transfer to a blender, in 2 batches, and puree. Pour into a large bowl, stir in the lime zest along with salt and pepper, and chill over an ice bath until cool. Refrigerate the soup until needed.
To Prepare the Pickled Carrots
6. Combine all ingredients except the carrots in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
7. Add the carrot slices and remove from the heat. Place a plate or other weight directly over the carrots, and let sit at room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate until needed.
To Prepare the Marshmallow
8. Line an 8-inch square pan with plastic wrap, smoothing out the wrinkles as best you can. Spray the plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray.
9. Sprinkle the gelatin into a small bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of water over it to soften; let it stand several minutes.
10. Bring the remaining ¾ cup water, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan and continue boiling until a candy thermometer reaches 238°F to 240°F, the “soft ball” stage.
11. Remove the mixture from heat and immediately stir in the gelatin, watching for steam and sputters.
12. Transfer the syrupy liquid to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the tea, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat the mixture at medium-high speed until it is very white, shiny, and thickened but stiffly spoonable, like a soft-peaked meringue, 14–18 minutes. It will have expanded several times in volume.
13. Scrape the sticky mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing its top. Bang the pan on the counter a time or two to eliminate air bubbles. Spray again with a light coat of oil, then cover the pan with plastic wrap. Set the marshmallow aside to cool and firm, which will take at least 1 hour.
Putting it all together
14. Arrange 4 soup plates or broad soup bowls on a work surface. Make a pretty pattern of garnishes in each bowl. Turn the marshmallow pan upside down and unmold the marshmallow. Cut it into 1-inch cubes. Arrange 2 to the sides in each bowl. Place a mound of carrots in the center of each bowl. Pour the chilled soup into a pitcher.
15. Set a bowl in front of each diner. Pour equal portions of the soup into each bowl, pooling it around the garnishes until most are submerged. Eat right away.