Carrot-Cumin Soup with Toasted Pecans

Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/veganfeast/

For the soup:

1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 to 3 lg. carrots, sliced thin (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
2 cups water

For pecans:

2 tbsp. pecans, chopped coarse
1 tsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350¡F.

Make soup:
In a saucepan cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add carrots, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water and simmer mixture, covered, 25 minutes, or until carrots are very tender.

Prepare pecans while carrot soup is simmering. On a baking sheet toast pecans in middle of oven 8 minutes, or until fragrant and 1 shade darker. Toss pecans with butter a and salt to taste.

In a blender puree soup until smooth. Divide soup between 2 soup bowls and top with pecans.

From Gourmet, January 1997.