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Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Meredith Adams, Eurasia Cafe & Wine Bar.
Variations:
This soup can be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock, or made vegan-friendly by using only vegetable stock as the liquid base. The milk and cream can be replaced with more stock but the soup will taste less rich. Without the honey and truffle, adding sherry gives the soup a seafood-bisque quality and 6 ounces of crabmeat or cooked, chopped shrimp may be added. The cooled soup may be frozen and reheated in the microwave.
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, roasted and peeled
• 4 cups rich chicken stock or broth (if using store-bought stock, add a chicken bouillon cube)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or whole or fat-free evaporated milk)
• 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
• 1/2 ounce white truffle oil
• 4 ounces Golden Angels Apiary unfiltered Virginia Wildflower Honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, pepper and sugar and cook until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, stock or broth, milk and cream. Cook with bubbles just forming on the surface.
Remove from the heat and puree the soup until smooth. This can be done in the pot with a handheld stick (immersion) blender or in a blender or food processor. (If using a blender or food processor, strain the soup, puree the solids and add the hot liquid back slowly in small batches, pulsing between each addition.) Adjust the thickness by adding more stock, milk or cream. Add sherry, if desired, stirring to combine.
Serve in individual bowls drizzled with truffle oil and honey and garnish with chives, if desired.