Sweet Potato Bisque

By danaheller

*

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 4 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 6 whole garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
• 6 to 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 bouquet garni (1 or 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves, 10 branches of fresh thyme, 10 parsley stalks, wrapped in cheesecloth — or you can use a large coffee filter tied with kitchen twine)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons honey, to taste

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes to sweat the vegetables. Add the oregano, curry powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Cook another 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring often to make sure the vegetables do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the white wine and cook 1 more minute. Add the sweet potatoes and enough chicken stock to cover all the vegetables. Add the bouquet garni. Cover the pot and simmer until the sweet potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids as heat expands; do not fill the blender more than halfway). Strain through a fine strainer and return the soup to the pot over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream. If the soup is too thick, add additional hot stock or water. Add the butter, stirring constantly until fully incorporated. Add vanilla extract. Stir in honey.