This tastes like a classic (thanks to a little white wine and nutmeg) and is a favorite in our household. Because it uses milk instead of cream, it’s rich and smooth without being heavy.  It’s also very easy and quick to put together. Originally from our well loved Best Recipe Cookbook.

1½ lbs (about 8 medium, or 4 cups) carrots
1 medium onion, 3 medium shallots, or 1 medium leek
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water
1-1¼ cups milk
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 tbsp dry white wine
1 tsp salt
ground pepper
ground nutmeg
2 tsp fresh parsley, chive, mint or tarragon

1. Trim, peel and chop onion, shallots or leek. Trim, peel (if needed), halve lenghtwise and thinly slice the carrots. Mince the herbs.
2. Heat butter or oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the wine and carrots and cook – stirring – until the wine evaporates, about 30 seconds. 4. Add stock, salt and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Add 1 cup of milk and puree with hand blender until very smooth. If soup is too thick, add a little more milk.
6. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Notes: If you don’t have a hand blender, you can also use a regular blender or a food processor. You can also just leave it chunky … or as we like to say: rustic. If you want to serve this soup chilled, use olive oil, not butter. (When the soup is cold, the butter will solidify.)