Curried Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup with Peanut Gremolata

Rich in texture and taste, this slightly spiced soup is great for a chilly fall or winter evening. In the photo I’ve garnished the soup with shrimp sauteed with additional creole seasoning but it’s delicious without too. You can make this vegan by simply swapping vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Yield:   4 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion (about 1 cup), ¼ inch dice

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2-3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)

1-quart chicken broth

1 habanero chile (or another chile of choice)

1 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablepoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon Marguerite’s creole seasoning or other preferred brand

½ cup roasted peanuts

¼ cup toasted coconut

4 green onions, finely sliced

Zest of 1 lime

Place a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Heat the pan until the heat can be felt radiating from the surface when your hand is placed about 6-8 inches above the bottom.  Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, curry powder and cinnamon along with salt and pepper.  Saute a few minutes until the onions begin to sweat but don’t brown or caramelize.  Add the sweet potato and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Holding the pepper in one hand using paper towel, prick all over with a fork to create holes around the exterior of the pepper.  Place the pepper in the soup and simmer until the desired level of heat is reached.  Remove the pepper when the desired level of heat is reached.  Cook until the sweet potato is very tender.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the garnish:

Place vegetable oil and curry powder in a small skillet.  Heat over medium heat until fragrant from the curry powder.  Add the peanuts and saute until lightly toasted in the seasoned oil.  Pour into a bowl and add the toasted coconut, finely sliced green onions, and finely shredded zest of 1 lime.  Toss to mix.

When sweet potato is very tender and soft, use an immersion blend or a standard blender to puree until completely smooth.  If using a standard blender, be sure to only fill the container half-full and remove the center of the cover or the lid altogether so that the steam may escape as it is blending.  Stir in the coconut milk.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Serve garnished with the curried peanut/coconut mixture sprinkled on top.