Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup (CEIMB)

This week's pick on Craving Ellie in My Belly is a very different sort of soup.  Ellie's name for it suggests it is primarily peanut flavored, but the main element is really sweet potato if you ask me.  This is a nice medley of rich and delicious flavors, featuring an unexpected peanutty creaminess. 

I made a change to the recipe and added some wine, but I actually wouldn't recommend it.  I felt like the wine distracted from the other flavors and didn't quite fit in.  Also, mine turned out quite thick because I used a large sweet potato (even though I cut Ellie's recipe in half), so pick the size of the sweet potato knowing it will directly influence the thickness of the soup. 

I wouldn't say this is one I'll make again and again, but it's different, interesting, and rather tasty.  If you're looking for a sweet potato soup to write home about, I'd suggest trying this one as well.

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup no-salt-added canned diced tomatoes, with juices

1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon honey

salt to taste

peanuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook, stirring, until veggies soften, about 5 minutes.  Stir in cayenne, black pepper, garlic, and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.

2.  Stir in sweet potato, broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

3.  Turn off the heat.  Puree soup using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender, then return to pot).  Stir in peanut butter and honey over low heat until the peanut butter melts.  Season to taste with salt.  Serve garnished with peanuts.

Enjoy!