Carrot Soup

I've been intrigued by the idea of carrot soup for a while now, and I finally tried it with the last of my garden carrots. It's a nice thick soup to use as an appetizer, rather than a main course. I really like the flavor, although I think I used a bit too much ginger when I eyeballed it-left my "sissy" mouth burning.

Carrot Soup
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/3 cup sliced shallots
1 lb. baby carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
Plain yogurt to garnish

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots to pan, and cook until almost tender, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, and cook 4 minutes. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are tender. Add ginger, and cook another 8 minutes or until carrots are very tender. Cover, and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature.

Use a food processor to puree the soup. Serve warm, garnished with yogurt if desired. Makes 8 1/2-cup servings.