Pete's Carrot Soup.

Panini Pete's is another extremely popular place to eat here in Fairhope. It was also recently featured on the Food Network. You can watch the segment on the restaurant site. There is an excellent article on him in Mobile Bay Monthly. I have yet to try his carrot soup, but I know that when it is on the menu, people flock there to get some before it is gone. I am a little surprised that he shared the recipe. There are a few more recipes in the article.

Carrot Soup

1 stick butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
5 pounds carrots, peeled & sliced
1 cup orzo
5 sprigs fresh parsley, tied in a bundle
1 & 1/2 gallons vegetable stock, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
salt & pepper, to taste
Cardamom, to taste (approximately 1 TBSP. freshly roasted & ground)

Melt butter in a stockpot over high heat. Saute onion until translucent. Add carrots & saute until soft and the liquid becomes orange, about 15 minutes. Add orzo and stir to coat. Add stock and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer & stir until orzo is done and carrots are very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove parsley bundle and puree soup until smooth. You may adjust the consistency with up to a half gallon of additional stock. Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, & cardamom.

Optional garnish: combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 cup sour cream, 1-2 TBSP cardamom, salt & pepper to taste.

If making soup ahead of time, place pot into an ice bath until cool. Refrigerate until heady to reheat. Make two gallon.