Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
October 2008
Take a bite out of fall's bounty with an easy and yummy dish.
Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 10 mins
- 4 sweet potatoes (2-1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 32 ouncecontainer chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon grated peel and juice of 1 orange
- 1/8teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Honey or maple syrup, for drizzling
- Pepper
- 1 cup sour cream, for passing around the table
- In a large saucepan, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
- While the potatoes are working, in a medium pot, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the onion, carrot, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, orange peel, orange juice and cinnamon; drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Add the broth mixture to the sweet potatoes in the pot and puree with an immersion blender (alternatively, puree in batches in a blender or food processor). Serve the soup with the sour cream and bacon on top.
Tip
Pair with:
- Segura Viudas Creu de Lavit 2005 (Spain), Mezzacorona Traminer Aromatico Castel Firmian 2006 (Italy)