It's not cold yet as we are reaching the end of October, mornings are getting a tad chilly.
Soup is the perfect dish to warm up one's body and soul.
Annie Bell reminds us with Soup Glorious Soup (Kyle Books, US edition, October 2011) that soup is one of these dishes that can be enjoyed throughout the day, as an appetizer, as a main dish.
I previously shared her Portuguese Fish Stew, today I chose her Sweet potato and cumin soup with feta yogurt as a second excerpt from Soup Glorious Soup.
Sweet potato and cumin soup with feta yogurt
Sweet potatoes are fabulous soup material, in fact I think this is my favorite way of serving them. Like parsnips and carrots, the result is thick and comforting. All three vegetables can be approached in a similar manner, so if you have a particular preference for one it may translate well in this recipe – they all marry well with spices and salty cheeses. Here it’s the orange-fleshed potatoes you want.
Serves 6
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt
3 ounces feta, crumbled
5 ounces Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional), to serve
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until soft and glossy, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook for a minute longer. Add the sweet potato, and continue to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the stock and season with salt, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, by which time the potato should be very tender. Puree the soup in batches in the blender. Return it to the saucepan and season with a little more salt, if necessary.
Combine the feta and yogurt in a bowl and dollop a spoonful on top of each bowl of soup. Scatter a teaspoon of chopped sun-dried tomatoes on top, if using.
(* Recipe from Soup Glorious Soup by Annie Bell published by Kyle Books, U.S edition, October 2011, reproduced by permission, all rights reserved. Photo by Richard Jung).