New York Times Sweet Potato Soup Food

SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH GINGER, LEEK AND APPLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil or butter in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, regular potato, apples and water and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, until all of the ingredients are thoroughly tender.
• Using an immersion blender, purée the soup (or you can use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls, squeeze a little lime juice and sprinkle a little chili powder over each serving and serve.

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon (if using) until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate or cutting board. Return the pot with just 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the stove. (If there's not enough fat, supplement with butter to total 3 tablespoons.) If making the soup vegetarian, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Over medium-low heat, sauté the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. Add the potatoes, milk and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (resist the urge to heat it faster as this can lead to curdling). Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• As soup simmers, prepare the potato skins: Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Working in batches if needed, add the potato peels in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Crumble and set aside.
• Once the potatoes are tender, take the pot off the heat, and purée the mixture with an immersion blender if you'd like a smooth soup. (Mash with a potato masher if you'd like a chunkier soup.) Stir in the sour cream and cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, more sour cream and Cheddar and the green parts of the scallions. Top with potato peels (eat any extra as chips, dipped in ketchup and mustard).

SLOW-COOKER CURRIED SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH COCONUT AND KALE

Steps:

• Combine the sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, oil, sugar, turmeric and salt in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add more than half of the jar of curry paste (about 1/3 cup) and 1 cup of water. Stir to combine all the ingredients and cook on low until the potatoes are quite tender, about 8 hours.
• Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, remaining curry paste and 2 1/2 cups water to the slow cooker. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until it is uniformly creamy. Add the lime juice and the kale, and stir to combine. Cook on low until the greens are wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in more warm water if you would like a looser texture. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if necessary. Serve in bowls with peanuts on top.

SWEET POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add leeks, and sauté slowly over low heat until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic.
• Add sweet potatoes and 3 cups water. Simmer about 20 minutes, until tender. Purée.
• Return purée to saucepan, add milk or half-and-half, bring to a simmer, add 1 to 1 1/2 cups more water to make soup no thicker than heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a dusting of cilantro.

RED CURRY LENTILS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the browned sweet potatoes to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and set the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the curry paste, garlic, ginger, chile and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the lentils, stock, salt and browned sweet potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the lentils are creamy and falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the spinach and stir until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
• Divide among shallow bowls and top with cilantro and coconut flakes, if using.