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2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 pounds peeled raw sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 large onion, cut into large dice 1 tablespoon butter 1 pinch sugar 3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 cups chicken broth, homemade 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk) Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep sauté pan until shimmering.
Add sweet potatoes, then onion; sauté, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until vegetables start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
Add ginger, nutmeg and cayenne pepper; continue to sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, and then add to the soup.)
Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is soup like, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls and serve.
1 tablespoon butter 2 teaspoons curry powder 3 leeks, chopped 3/4 cup diced potatoes 2 Granny Smith apples -- peeled, cored and chopped 3 cups vegetable broth salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup plain yogurt
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in curry powder and cook 1 minute. Stir in leeks, potato and apples and cook 5 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Puree in a blender or food processor, or using an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a swirl of yogurt.
2 slices bacon 1/2 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup) white and pale green parts of 1 large leek, chopped fine and washed well (about 1 cup) 1 large garlic clove, minced 1/2 bay leaf 1 1/4 pounds butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 1 medium Granny Smith or other tart apple 2 cups low-salt chicken broth 1/2 cup water plus additional for thinning soup 2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche
Accompaniments Sour cream or crème fraîche
In a skillet cook bacon until crisp and drain, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons fat. Crumble bacon. In a heavy saucepan cook onion, leek, garlic, and bay leaf with salt and pepper to taste in reserved fat over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
Add squash, apple, peeled and chopped, broth, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer mixture, covered, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes, and discard bay leaf.
In a blender purée mixture in batches, transferring as puréed to a clean saucepan, and add enough additional water to thin soup to desired consistency.
Whisk in sour cream or crème fraîche and salt and pepper to taste and heat soup over moderately low heat until hot (do not boil).
Serve soup topped with crumbled bacon and accompaniments.
3/4 cup finely chopped scallion (about 1 bunch) 1 small onion, chopped (about 2/3 cup) 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced thin (about 4 cups) 2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth 1 to 1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice plus additional to taste ice water for thinning soup trimmed scallions for garnish
In a large heavy saucepan cook chopped scallion, onion, and gingerroot in butter with curry powder and salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat until softened and add carrots and broth. Simmer mixture, covered, 20 minutes, or until carrots are very soft.
In a blender purée mixture in batches with coconut milk until very smooth, transferring as puréed to a bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and chill soup at least 6 hour or overnight.
Thin soup with ice water and season with additional lime juice and salt and pepper.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH GREEN CHILI CORIANDER CHUTNEY
For the chutney 1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut 2 jalapeño chilies, (wear rubber gloves) 2 cups loosely packed coriander
For the soup 2 cups chopped onion 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons vegetable oil a 3- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, the seeds and strings discarded, and the flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces 6 cups chicken broth two 4-inch strips of orange zest 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
8 coriander sprigs for garnish
Make the chutney: In a blender or food processor blend the almonds, the coconut, the jalapeño, a pinch of salt, and 1/3 cup water until the mixture is ground fine. Add the coriander and blend the mixture until it is ground fine. (This recipe makes what is known as a dry chutney, which has a slightly grainy texture.) The chutney may be made 8 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes about 1 cup.
Make the soup: In a kettle cook the onion in the butter and the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the squash and 1/2 cup water, and cook the mixture, covered, over moderately low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the broth, the zest, and the juice and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 15 minutes. In a blender or food processor purée the mixture in batches and strain it through a sieve into a large bowl. The soup may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
Ladle the soup into 8 bowls and garnish each serving with about a tablespoon of the chutney, to be stirred into the soup, and a coriander sprig.
Soup 3 pounds eggplant (about 2 large), halved lengthwise 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, chopped 1 small russet potato, peeled, chopped 1 leek (white and pale green parts), sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 cup dry white wine 7 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth 1/2 cup whipping cream
Dumplings 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 shallots, chopped 1/2 cup (packed) soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled 1/2 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 20 wonton wrappers
For soup: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place eggplant cut side down on oiled rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, fennel, potato, leek, garlic and oregano; sauté 10 minutes. Add wine; cook 2 minutes. Add 7 1/2 cups stock; simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 minutes. Scoop out eggplant flesh; discard skins. Add eggplant to soup. Simmer 10 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to pot. Mix in cream. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cool slightly. Cover; chill.)
For dumplings: Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 4 minutes. Cool. Mix in cheese, tomatoes and basil. Season filling with salt and pepper. Place wrappers on work surface. Place 2 teaspoons filling in center. Brush edges with water. Fold wrappers diagonally in half; press edges to seal. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Place in single layer on floured baking sheet. Cover; chill.)
Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more stock if necessary. Cook dumplings in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Using slotted spoon, place 2 dumplings atop soup in each bowl.
2 lb ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups) 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup chilled sparkling apple cider (nonalcoholic) 1/8 teaspoon Madras curry powder Garnish: Madras curry powder; lemon slices
Purée cantaloupe with 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a blender until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cider and curry. Season with salt and additional lemon juice. Serve immediately, at room temperature.
2 tablespoons roasted peanut or vegetable oil 2 large onions, diced 2 large bell peppers, 1 red and 1 green, diced into 1/4-inch chunks 2 teaspoons chopped ginger 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or more to taste 2 cups crushed tomatoes in sauce 5 cups water, or chicken stock, or vegetable stock 3/4 cup peanut butter 1 box or 1/2 carton tofu, soft 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup sliced scallions, including the firm greens
Warm the oil in a wide soup pot set over high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, ginger, and sweet potatoes, and sauté, stirring frequently until the onions have begun to color, 8 to 10 minutes, adding the garlic after the first 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, several good twists of the pepper mill, and the cayenne to taste, and cook a few minutes longer.
Add the tomatoes and scrape the pot to lift up any brown bits from the bottom. Add the water or stock, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
Add the peanut butter and cook, stirring, until it has dissolved
Remove 2 cups of the soup and purée with the tofu until perfectly smooth. Return this mixture to the soup. (If you wish, purée the entire soup.) Taste for salt and for the heat level, adding more cayenne if desired.
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped 3/4 cup chopped onion 3/4 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds 5 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Melt 1/4 cup butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrots, onion, leek, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and fennel seeds; stir to coat. Cover; cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add 5 cups broth. Bring to simmer. Cover partially; simmer until carrots are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return to pan. Thin to desired consistency with more broth. Season with salt and pepper.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill.)
Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with additional thyme.
