Kakariko Village is known for two particular agricultural crops, fortified pumpkins and swift carrots. Both of these ingredients are used by the Sheikah to make a number of soups. One of these soups is made by stewing swift carrots in milk and then thickening the broth with tabantha wheat flour. Carrot stew is a nourishing and belly warming Sheikah stew, particularly enjoyed during the cooler months of the year in Kakariko Village.
"This simple stew sat simmering for a long time to bring out the sweetness of the carrots."
We will be keeping this stew fairly simple. Carrots and onions will be cooked down in vegetable broth with some thyme. A portion of the carrots will then be pureed and creamed with some milk. Lastly, the stew will be thickened with a beurre manie. This is pretty much as basic as it comes. The sweetness of the carrots really comes through in this stew, and the butter and the milk add a nice light creaminess. Refreshing and light, a bowl of this soup would be perfect on a cool, spring afternoon while relaxing in any one of the villages or stables of the Hyrule countryside.
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
2 ½ lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 ½ lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
5-7 sprigs of thyme
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups milk
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
2-3 tbsp chives, diced
2-3 tbsp chives, diced
2 tbsp sour cream thinned with 1 tsp milk
8 carrot tops, peeled, with leaves attached for garnish (optional)
While preparing the vegetables, set 2 tablespoons of the butter aside on the countertop to soften.
Set a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted, add the onions. Saute the onions for about 5 minutes, until translucent and softened. Now add the carrots, along with 1 tsp of salt and ½ ts[ black pepper. Stir the carrots to coat them in the onions, seasoning, and butter. Allow the carrots to saute for about 5-8 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth to the pot and stir. Add the thyme sprigs and ensure they are submerged in the broth. Allow the stew to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Allow the stew to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until all of the carrots have softened.
While the soup is simmering, make the beurre manie. Add the softened two tablespoons of butter from the countertop into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the bowl. Using a fork, gently mash the flour into the softened butter. Keep scraping, mashing, and mixing the butter and flour together until they are completely blended. The end result will be a soft light yellow paste. Set the beurre manie to the side for now.
Once the carrots have softened, remove the soup from the heat, Remove the thyme sprigs and discard them. Remove approximately 2 cups of carrots from the soup using a strainer. Reserve only 2 cups of carrots, not broth or onions. Set the reserved carrots to the side in a bowl.
Using an immersion blender, purée the contents of the soup. Purée the soup until it is completely smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can purée the soup in portions using a blender. Once the soup is fully blended, add the milk and stir to completely incorporate it into the soup.
Return the stew to the heat and allow it to rewarm for about 2-3 minutes. Add the beurre manie to the stew and stir it in until it completely melts. Add the reserved carrots back into the pot. Stir to mix them throughout the stew. Allow the stew to simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Season with additional salt, to taste, if necessary. The stew is now ready to serve.
If you are using the carrot top garnishes, ensure that the carrot tops with the leaves are tall enough to stick up about an inch or two out of the soup. Preheat an oven to 425°F. Arrange the carrot tops on a small baking sheet lined with foil. Brush the carrots on all sides with olive oil and season with salt. Roast these carrot tops for about 15-20 minutes in the oven, until they are soft enough to be pierced easily with a fork.
To serve the soup, ladle it into a bowl, and garnish it with one or two carrot tops, a few small swishes of crème fraîche, and some of the diced chives.
Learn more about the Carrot Stew dish from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at Zelda Dungeon.