Sweet Potato Soup With Ginger & Vanilla

by IsaChandra

Serves 6 to 8 Total time: 30 minutes || Active time: 15 minutes

ere!s the vision: vanilla bean and "in"er holdin" hands in a #ield o# s$eet %otato& $ith %retty bursts o# lime li"htin" their $ay& and 'ust a touch o# heat( This reci%e came about $hen I loo)ed in my %antry and screamed *Is there anythin" at all interesting in here+++,+,- The vanilla beans $ere li)e *.h& hello& try us in sou%+- So $hat i# my blo" has accidentally tri%%ed and #allen #ace #irst into a bi" sou% %ot+ It!s /arch and it!s dreary& and I can hardly mana"e to tie my shoes on these "ray days& never mind coo)in" somethin" any more com%licated than sou%( 0lus& this one has s%ecial %o$ers, 1or one& the aromathera%y( Try to #eel seasonal a##ective disorder as the delicious scents o# "in"er and vanilla $a#t throu"h your abode( 1or another& tele%ortation( I don!t )no$ about you& but I don!t coo) $ith vanilla every day( It too) me on a much needed vacation a$ay #rom my com#ort 2one& to a more intri"uin" %lace(

So my vision #or this reci%e $as a short but s$eet in"redient list $ith nothin" su%er#lous and nothin" $asted( 0ure& clean #lavors( I su%%ose I $anted to be the 3aymond Carver o# sou%( o%e you love it, And ho%e#ully the ne4t %ic I %ost $ill loo) li)e s%rin"& and not Than)s"ivin"( aha( [ed note: I wrote this yesterday, and today, the sun is actually shining!]
R ecipe Notes ~ Everything gets pureed in the end, so dont stress too much a out chopping things too per!ectly" ~ #y !avorite method o! scraping the vanilla ean is to slice the ean across the waist, using a stea$ $ni!e" %he slice each hal! lengthwise, and use the stea$ $ni!e to scrape out all the delicious vanilla eaniness" ~ #y little container o! vanilla eans reminded me not to discard the s$in! %hrow empty vanilla s$ins into a cup o! sugar, cover, and let it sit around !or a wee$ or so, giving a stir every now again" &''#! (ou have vanilla sugar" )ut it in your co!!ee or something delicious li$e that" ~ Not really a note, ut I $now that yams are not otanically sweet potatoes, and Ill e deleting all comments that yell at me a out it" *(es, people yell at me a out yams sometimes" It happens!+

1 tables%oon olive oil 1 medium yello$ onion& diced medium 5 tables%oons cho%%ed #resh "in"er 165 teas%oon red %e%%er #la)es 3 lbs "arnet yams& %eeled and cut into 1 inch chun)s 7 cu%s ve"etable broth 165 teas%oon salt 1 vanilla bean& s%lit and scra%ed 8ti% to use a stea) )ni#e9 1 tables%oon %ure ma%le syru% 5 tables%oons #resh lime 'uice 0reheat a 7:;uart sou% %ot over medium heat( Saute the onions in oil $ith a %inch o# salt #or about 3 minutes& until translucent( Add "in"er and red %e%%er #la)es& and saute another minute or so( Add yams& ve""ie broth and salt( Cover and brin" to a boil( <nce boilin"& lo$er heat a bit to a slo$ simmer and coo) until %otatoes are tender = usually 5 more minutes or so( <nce tender& add the vanilla beans( .se an immersion blender to %uree the sou% until smooth( <r trans#er the sou% in batches to a blender or #ood %rocessor to %uree( >e sure to let the steam esca%e in bet$een %ulses so that the steam doesn!t build u% and e4%lode all over you( Then trans#er the sou% bac) to the %ot( Add ma%le syru% and lime and taste #or salt( Thin $ith a little $ater& i# necessary( ?ou can eat immediately& but the #lavor develo%s a lot as it sits( The lime mello$s out and the

vanilla becomes more %ronounced& es%ecially the ne4t day( Serve "arnished $ith lime& i# you li)e( ?ou may also $ant to do a coconut s$irl& or somethin" li)e that& i# you!re #eelin" #ancy(