Hot and Smoky Soup and Dreams of Summer

With yet another round of stormy winter weather blanketing the country, I am official longing for the start of spring. It seem that this winter has been one blizzard after another. And to make matters worse, I have a feeling that Punxsutawney Phil is preparing to sell us out by forecasting another 6 weeks of Winter. It is enough to make me wonder what kind of wine goes with roast groundhog. Don't get me wrong, I like winter... for a little while. Then I spend most of the season searching for foods to warm me from the inside out. Right now I am enjoying a delicious new soup from Rachel Ray.  

Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup is a great change up from the traditional sweet potato curry. This soup has more of a Spanish flare, with adobo sauce, chipotle peppers and tons of crunchy, smoky bacon on top. I like to serve it with a little sour cream on top to balance the flavors and cleanse the palette. The absolute best part about this soup, is that it only take about 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes (2-1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 5 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• One 32-ounce container chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon grated peel and juice of 1 orange
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Honey or maple syrup, for drizzling
• Pepper
• 1 cup sour cream, for passing around the table

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
2. While the potatoes are working, in a medium pot, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the onion, carrot, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, orange peel, orange juice and cinnamon; drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
3. Add the broth mixture to the sweet potatoes in the pot and puree with an immersion blender (alternatively, puree in batches in a blender or food processor). Serve the soup with the sour cream and bacon on top.
   
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   P.S. Have you noticed how popular Sweet Potatoes are lately? It sure is great to see everyone catching on to our little secret.