Caramelized Carrot Leek Soup

Today's gloomy weather combined with my office building's propensity for keeping the temperature colder inside than out had me craving an endless bowl of piping hot soup. I turned to one of my favorite winter recipes; it takes extra time to caramelize the carrots and leeks, but it adds such depth of flavor, it's well worth it (if you are short on time just saute veggies and cook in liquid until tender).

Caramelized Carrot Leek Soup

Ingredients:

4 leeks, trimmed (you'll use just the white part)
2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
3 Tbsp vegetable or light olive oil
2 cups soup stock
2 cups water
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice leeks lengthwise and rinse thoroughly to remove any grit. Pat dry.
   
3. Spread carrots & leeks in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with oil and roast in oven for 30-40 min covered, 30-40 min uncovered until veggies are caramelized and tender (some ovens roast better faster/slower than others, so roasting time can vary).
4. Bring soup stock and water to a boil in a medium stock pot. Add veggies, turn down and simmer 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
   
5. Blend soup using an immersion blender. If it's too thick, add a bit more liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Optional step: Pour the soup through a fine sieve to catch any stray bits that won't blend.
   

The cost:
leeks: 4.00
carrots: 1.49
stock: .99

Grand total: $6.48; serves 6-8