Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2 garlic bulbs, unpeeled, cloves separated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium brown onions, finely chopped
• 1kg orange sweet potato, peeled, chopped
• 600g sebago potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup pure cream
• Pure cream and herbed toasts, to serve

Method

1. Place garlic on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with half the oil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze garlic from skins. Discard skins.
2. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add sweet potato, potato and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Add garlic. Process until smooth.
3. Return soup to pan over medium heat. Stir in cream. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through, adding water if necessary. Season with pepper. Serve with cream and toasts (see related recipe).

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 leeks, halved, washed, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 long red chilli, deseeded, chopped
• 800g sweet potato, peeled, cubed
• 600g carrots, chopped
• 5 cups salt-reduced vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup light thickened cream
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add cumin, cinnamon and chilli. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
2. Add potato and carrot. Stir to coat in leek mixture. Add stock, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove pan from heat.
3. Blend or process soup, in batches, until smooth. Return to pan over low heat until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in coriander. Spoon into bowls and drizzle with cream. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

• 
  Variation: You could replace the sweet potato with 800g butternut pumpkin.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 800g sweet potato, peeled, chopped
• 500g sebago potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1/3 cup pure cream

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. sweet potato. Add chilli flakes. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Add stock. Season with pepper. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Blend, in batches, until smooth. Return to pan over low heat. Add pure cream. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve.

Notes

• 
  You could replace chicken stock with beef, vegetable or salt-reduced stock.
  Serve soup topped with fresh herbs, chilli flakes, pure cream, sour cream, croutons or cooked chopped bacon.
  Serve soup with crusty bread, bread rolls or pappadums.
  To blend soup, use a stick blender, jug blender or food processor.