Carrot Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

5 whole cloves

4 cups (about) canned vegetable broth or water

1/2 heavy cream or half and half

additional goodies

ginger or ginger ale

orange marmalade

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and cloves and sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups broth. Cover and simmer until carrots are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Remove cloves from broth and discard. Puree soup in batches in blender. Return soup to same saucepan. Mix in cream or half and half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin to desired consistency with more broth. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Stir soup over medium heat until heated through. Ladle into bowls. Drizzle cream over. Top with parsley.