Accounting for Taste

Yes, this warm, cozy fall recipe is a great way to use up some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, but why wait around until after T-Day hoping you just might have enough leftover mashed sweet potatoes on hand? Go ahead and bake a few now before making this luscious, velvety soup. Then when you’ve got about a half hour, you can whip it together and have it ready to eat in no time.

I think using a homemade chicken broth instead of water adds additional depth of flavor, but if you’re sticking to vegetarian, a veggie broth or water will do just fine. You can also substitute cilantro in place of basil as a garnish if that’s what you prefer.

Want a heartier meal? Grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches make great companions. We made ours from Ezekiel 100% sprouted whole grain bread slices (no flour, no gluten). My go-to for an added flavor punch is a schmear of Dijon mustard. Additionally, although I didn’t have any at the time, a few slices of tomato in that sandwich would take it over the top.

Next time you’re serving sweet potatoes for dinner, cook up a few extra and put them aside, and you’ll be ahead of the game in making this soup again—because, yes, you’ll want to.

Red Curry-Lime Sweet Potato Soup

Servings: Yields 9 cups
Time: 35 min.
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts chopped and washed
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 3 large)
1 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups homemade chicken broth (or veggie broth or water)
1 lime, zested and juiced
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for garnish

Directions

If you don’t have left over sweet potatoes on hand, bake several in a 400° oven for about one hour until soft and tender. Let cool slightly, then peel and mash. (This can be done a day or two ahead.)
In a 4- to 5-quart saucepan heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium. Add leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in red curry paste. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in sweet potatoes, coconut milk, 3 cups broth/water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
Stir in lime zest and juice; heat through.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper, and top with fresh basil.