Carrot Soup with Tomatillo Relish

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours

MAKES: 2½ quarts; 6 servings

NOTES: The tomatillo relish can be made up to 2 days ahead; cover and chill. The carrot soup can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often.

1½ cups chopped onions

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups thinly sliced peeled carrots (about 10; 1 3/4 lb. total)

2 Yukon Gold potatoes (12 oz. total), peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

1½ quarts fat-skimmed low-sodium chicken broth

Salt

Roasted tomatillo relish (recipe follows)

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, stir onions often in olive oil until limp, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in carrots and potatoes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced, about 20 minutes.

3. Working in small batches, transfer soup to a blender or food processor and whirl until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.

4. Return the soup to the pan and stir often over medium heat until hot. Add salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of roasted tomatillo relish.

Per serving: 209 cal., 31% (64 cal.) from fat; 11 g protein; 7.1 g fat (1 g sat.); 26 g carbo (5.5 g fiber); 126 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Roasted tomatillo relish

Pull off husks from 1 pound tomatillos and rinse tomatillos well. Place in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan and bake in a 400° oven until slightly browned and soft when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse, stem, seed, and chop 1 fresh green jalapeño chile; rinse 2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro and 1 cup lightly packed parsley. Transfer tomatillos to a blender or food processor and add chile, cilantro, parsley, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped and slightly chunky. Makes 2 cups.

Per 1/4 cup: 51 cal., 69% (35 cal.) from fat; 0.8 g protein; 3.9 g fat (0.5 g sat.); 3.8 g carbo (1.5 g fiber); 5 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.