pinotandthefig:

Loaded Sweet Potato Soup

Sometimes I see a recipe, and my mouth begins to water…my ears turn red…I start speaking to myself with words like “Mmmmm!” and “Ohhhh yeahhh!” And the next thing I know, I’m on my way to the market to buy the ingredients. That’s what happened when I saw this recipe yesterday.  Honestly, it really could have gone either way…and I was prepared for a recipe fail with a trusty frozen pizza that I keep on hand at all times in the freezer. Remember this? But let me tell you!  This soup is going to be forever cherished in my recipe cabinet. It was scrumptious! The soup would be perfect as an appetizer for a fall dinner party, but it also really holds its own as a meal in itself. The sweet potatoes are smooth and buttery, the bacon adds that baconly deliciousness that only bacon can bring to the table, the shallots add a crisp that I desire with every bowl of soup, the marscapone cheese melts into a silky ribbon of delight, and the goat cheese…THE GOAT CHEESE! It is tart and creamy and the perfect topping. Why didn’t I think of that?

So the message here, my friends? Make this soup. You will savor each and every spoonful…and don’t feel alone if your finger finds its way into your empty bowl to scoop out that last piece of bacon!

I doubled this recipe because…well I wanted a big serving and some for later. This recipe serves 4…doubling it serves about 6 people a large bowl. 

(I’m posting the original recipe. Words in italics are my additions)

The Players:

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (for doubling the recipe, I used 3 garnet yams and 2 large sweet potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2-3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (for doubling the recipe, I used 4 cups)
• 1 1/2-2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (for doubling the recipe, I used 4 cups)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (I didn’t use paprika)
• for garnishes: bacon, mascarpone cheese, crumbled goat cheese & crispy shallots

Prepare potatoes: peel and cube sweet potatoes, then add to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for about 10 minutes or until fork tender, tossing 2-3 times during cook time. If you do not want to use the microwave, throw the potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes. Using the microwave will help this soup come together in 30 minutes. Roasting the sweet potatoes adds a bit more “caramely,” deep flavor.  (I roasted them, and they were delicious!)

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add butter and diced onions and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then add flour and whisk continuously to create a roux with the onions. Cook the onion roux for about 2-3 minutes, until it starts to golden in color a bit and smell nutty. Add in stock, milk, smoked paprika and potatoes, then bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over medium heat, stirring often – especially scraping the bottom. The potatoes will begin to bread down at this time – if they are not as broken down as you’d like, mash a bit more with a fork. Turn heat down to low and add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings according to preference. If you’d prefer a thinner soup, add more stock to thin it out. You can also throw the soup in the blender to make it super creamy. (I just mashed it up against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon)

Serve hot with garnishes of crumbled bacon, mascarpone cheese, goat cheese, and crisped shallots. (I crisped my shallots in the leftover bacon grease…why waste it, right?!?!)

Recipe discovered on vneckandacardigan originating on howsweetitis