Carrot and Ginger Soup

I borrowed from an Epicurious recipe by Zaynab Issa. It's a good recipe.

Ingredients (4–6 servings) 

• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces 

• 4 large shallots, 3 cut into 2" pieces, 1 shallot thinly sliced 

• 1 one-inch piece ginger, peeled, halved 

• 1½ lb. carrots, peeled, cut into 2" pieces 

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

• ½ tsp. ground cumin 

• Kosher salt 

• ½ cup vegetable oil 

• Flaky sea salt 

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

• ½ cup heavy cream Freshly ground pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425°. 

• Place 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces, 3 large shallots, cut into 2" pieces, one 1"-piece ginger, peeled, halved, and 1½ lb. carrots, peeled, cut into 2" pieces, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil over, sprinkle with ½ tsp ground cumin, and season with kosher salt. Toss to coat and roast until tender and charred in spots, 35–45 minutes.

• Meanwhile, heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium. Cook 1 large shallot, thinly sliced, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; season with flaky sea salt. Let cool until crisp; discard oil.

• Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender or large pot (if using an immersion blender). Add 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and ½ cup heavy cream and season with freshly ground black pepper. Blend on low until puréed, then increase speed to medium-high and blend until smooth. If soup is too thick, thin with up to 1 cup water. Taste soup and season with more kosher salt if needed.

• It is best to let all of the flavors settle and combine for a few hours at least. But feel free to ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with black pepper, and top with crispy shallot.