Sweet Potatoes Are Amazing!

This recipe is so fantastic, that everyone, even VEGANS, will love it. Don’t try it with store bought sweet potatoes from the grocery store in the spring because the sugars will have turned to starch. Get them now when they have just been harvested and are at their peak of flavor. I’ll be serving this at a dinner I'm cooking as part of a board donation to Arts Visalia, and my focus is “the local harvest and bounty of the fall season". This will be the first course after a trio of Mediterranean dips with pita bread. (These recipes and photos :-) will be posted after the event, Nov 20, 2009.)

Caribbean Sweet Potato Coconut Soup
From Moosewood Daily Specials

Serve 4-6, yields 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped onions
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp grated or finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp curry powder
¼ tsp fresh grated nutmeg
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
½ tsp freshly grated lemon or orange peel
2 Tbsp dark rum
1 cup pineapple or orange juice
1 ¾ cups coconut milk (14 oz can)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice, or to taste

chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and celery with the oil until the onions are translucent. Then cover the pot and sweat the aromatics, for about 8-10 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add the ginger, curry, nutmeg, bay leaves and salt. Sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add the broth or water, sweet potatoes, grated citrus peel and rum.
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove and discard the bay leaves, Pour the pineapple or orange juice and the coconut milk into the pot.
5. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth.
6. Reheat gently if necessary.
7. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.