West African Groundnut Soup Food

CARLA'S AFRICAN GROUNDNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Heat large pot on high heat. Pour in peanut oil, and then add onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, then add garlic and ginger. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until soft and translucent, another 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle in half of spice mixture, salt to taste and stir until mixed well. Pour in crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 1 hour. Strain broth, then puree solids with 2-3 cups of broth until very smooth. Strain through fine strainer.
• While broth is simmering, reserve 2 sweet potatoes for garnish and dice.
• remaining potatoes into 1/4" pieces. Toss in peanut oil, salt and pepper, and roast in 425 degree oven until just tender. Set aside to cool.
• Place peanut butter into medium bowl and slowly whisk in 1-2 cups of broth until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture back into pot with broth.
• Toss together cooked beans, sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, parsley and mint. Season with salt, spice mixture and lime zest to taste.
• In shallow bowl, pour broth, then spoon vegetable mixture into the center.
• Garnish with chopped peanuts, lime juice, lime salt (zest of 2 limes mixed with ¼ cup Malden sea salt), and sweet potato chips. (Cut whole sweet potatoes into ½" thick pieces. Use peeler to make thin ribbons. Fry in 300 degree canola oil. Salt to taste.).

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Saute the onions in oil until just translucent.
• Stir in the cayenne and ginger.
• Add the carrots and saute a couple more minutes.
• Mix in the potatoes and stock.
• Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the vegetables with the cooking liquid and the tomato juice.
• Return the puree to the soup pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
• Taste the soup. Its sweetness will depend on the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potatoes. If it is not naturally sweet, add just a little sugar to enhance the other flavors.
• Reheat the soup gently, using a heat diffuser if needed to prevent scorching.
• Add more water, stock, or tomato juice for a thinner soup.
• Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions or chives.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Stir in yellow onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add ginger and cayenne; cook 1 minute.
• Add sweet potato, 2 cups water, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Ladle soup into the bowl of a food processor. Add peanut butter. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into a clean pan.
• Heat soup over low heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup water to thin, if desired. Ladle into soup bowls and top each serving with green onions.

WEST AFRICAN GROUNDNUT STEW (MOOSEWOOD)

Steps:

• Sauté the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes. Stir in the cayenne and garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the cabbage and sweet potatoes and sauté, covered for a few minutes. Mix in the juices, salt, ginger, cilantro, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the okra and simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir in the peanut butter, place the pan on a heat diffuser, and simmer gently until ready to serve. Add more juice or water if the stew is too thick.

WEST AFRICAN GROUNDNUT STEW

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot, heat oil.
• Roll chicken in flour and brown in oil with nutmeg and chili powder.
• When chicken is browned, add onions and garlic, tomato paste, water, hot sauce (if using) and salt.
• Stir well.
• Mix the boiling water with the peanut butter and add to pot.
• Simmer covered over low heat until tender, about 45-60 minutes.
• About halfway through cooking, add chopped vegetables.
• If stew is too watery, mix 2-3 tbsp of corn startch with cold water to make a thickening paste and add to stew.
• Serve over a bed of rice.

WEST AFRICAN GROUNDNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Bring water and peanut butter to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Turn heat down and simmer for 1 hour, skimming surface foam and stirring as necessary. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut up vegetables and set aside, covered.
• Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Salt beef and chicken well, sprinkle with cayenne pepper (be careful, there!), then brown chicken on all sides, followed by stewing beef, adding a little more oil if necessary. Pour peanut butter soup over meats and bring to a boil, stirring well to incorporate. Turn heat down to low and simmer for at least two hours, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Toward the last 3/4 hour add the green peppers, scallions, eggplant, celery and onions. (NOTE: It is not necessary to sauté vegetables first.) At end of cooking time stir in crab meat, and correct seasonings as necessary.
• Prepare rice according to package directions to yield 4 cups hot cooked rice.
• To serve, mound rice on large platter, ladle soup over rice and sprinkle with parsley (I prefer the flat-leaf variety) and grated coconut. Pass a small bowl of cayenne pepper, and offer sliced tropical fruit to accompany soup - mango, papaya, pineapple, guava, banana.
• Can be prepared in advance; add crab meat just before serving and heat through.