Spicy Sweet Potato Soup
By: The Frugal Foodies
Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 - 9:59pm

Ingredients




1 medium onion diced
1 inch medium carrot  ½ inch cubes
2 stalks celery, diced
2 mediums sized sweet potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar (this will really be to taste)
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons heavy cream (this is 100% optional - mine was a little too spicy tonight so it h
EVOO
1/2 tablespoon butter

Preparation

1 First, set a medium size sauce pan over medium heat. Add in a drizzle of EVOO and add about 1/2 tbsp of butter. . 2 Next, add your onion and lightly salt and pepper (don't need to go overboard on seasoning now). We are just going to "sweat" the onions. After about 5 minutes it's time to add our diced celery and carrots. Basically we are forming a mirepoix which will become the flavor base for our soup. That is really all a soup is, chapter, after chapter of flavor building, until you reach the end and the story is complete :) 3 Stir the mirepoix every couple of minutes to make sure there is no burning or sticking to the sauce pan (remember we are still on medium heat). In the meantime, peel, quarter and slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 cubes. Take into account that we are attempting to cook these pieces on a similar time schedule. Once the potatoes are cubed add to the pot. Fill up the pot with just enough chicken broth so that it barely covers the tops of the potatoes. Add in your brown sugar and cayenne pepper and mix with soup. Bring the mixure to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for about 30 minutes. 4 After 30 minutes, open the lid and smell the fruits of your labor. Try your broth. Is it too sweet? Too spicy? At this point its not too late to change the flavor profile, so adjust as you see fit. 5 Take your soup in batches and puree in either a blender or a food processor. Once the mixture (however now its really looking like soup!) is done blending place over a sieve and into a separate bowl or sauce pan. Sieve? What's a sieve? A sieve is basically a strainer that we are going to use to help our soup become velvet. If you like your soups more like a stew, then simple finish pureeing and return to the pot! Viola! However, if you are like me and love a smooth, creamy soup there's just one more step... 6 Once you have the puree poured in the sieve over a bowl, let the liquid seep through. Eventually this will leave you with a mess of potatoes, carrots, celery and onion...take a wooden spoon and push the contents from the sieve through to the bowl. Once the contents have been pushed through you are left with a velvet like concoction that will make your mouth water. I am not going to lie, this is very time consuming and may not be for everyone. I hate it. I hate it so much. However, now that I have started to use this technique there is no way that I can go back. I just love the texture that it brings! Repeat the sieve process until all the puree is gone. 7 Return the strained mixture to the sauce pan and reheat on medium-low heat. If you feel like it, here is your chance to add your cream, if not, dinner is served!

Comments:
The Frugal Foodies

This recipe is a hybrid of my southern roots and my mothers nack for creating layers of flavor through her soups. She taught me that good soups take time and to always add a little something sweet (the spice is all me!). Everything I know about soups comes from her and she learned from her grandmother.
Elizabeth

I can actually say that I have tasted this masterpiece firsthand!  This soup is completely divine.  I am a big soup eater especially iwhen it is cold outside, and this is one that I cannot get enough of.  It's filling without being heavy.  It's got a wonderful mix of flavors.  I found it to be a winter staple, but I love it so much I am considering trying it chilled for summer.  So easy, fun to make, and utterly delicious!!!
Lex

My old roommate cooked this for me one night. She turned out to be crazy, but I LOVE this soup.
Jackie

This soup sounds so delicious! It's definitely on my list to try- I love sweet potatoes, and the sweet/spicy combination is always good :)
Onebarusa

This should be illegal!  So good that you'll not want to share with guests!  It's worth every minute of the work that goes into it!  Great job Frugal Foodies!
Lisa Mcbride Young

U N B E L I E V A B L E!!!! Absolutely LOVE this dish, is a must if you love sweet potatoes!!! A MUST A MUST A MUST!!
Lori Hulvey

This sounds tremendous.  I love soup and love, love, love sweet potato.  I can't wait to try this recipe (well, have Joe make it and I'll eat it)!  Especially love that this love comes from three generations of females!!  Way to go Renee!!