SMOKED CARROT BISQUE

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pounds carrots, peeled and trimmed
• mesquite or hickory wood chips, as needed for smoker
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 ½  teaspoons curry powder
• 5 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place whole, peeled carrots onto smoker rack. Smoke for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a 1 1/2 to 2-gallon soup pot over medium heat. Stir in onions, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent about 5 minutes. Chop carrots, and add to onions along with celery; continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes until the celery softens.
3. Stir in turmeric and curry powder until evenly distributed; pour in vegetable stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Strain the vegetables out of the soup and puree in a blender until smooth. Pour the puree back into the soup, and continue simmering for 30 minutes more.
5. Whisk butter into soup until melted, then stir in cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain soup through a fine-mesh strainer to remove chunks. 
6. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped chives before serving.