Nell’s Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 6 (with leftovers)
 
Nell serves this soup often--it's terrific on a chilly night. In Moon Spinners, the knitters enjoy it while sorting through a mystery.
 
Ingredients
2 Pounds sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cut into chunks.
2  onions, Vidalia if available.
1 red or yellow pepper
1 c snow peas
1 chopped mushrooms (a few wild mushrooms add a nice touch)
1 c corn
2 quarts chicken broth
1 T curry
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T grated fresh ginger (Nell keeps a hunk of fresh giner frozen in a baggie so she always has it on hand and it grates easily when frozen. It adds a nice zing to soups)
S&P
1 c plain, nonfat yogurt
chopped parsely (and/or cilantro if you like it)
Fash of Chalula or other hot sauce if you like a bit of tang
Olive oil
 
Preparation
Oven-400 degrees
• Peel and cut sweet potatoes and onions into chunks and place on oiled baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with olive oil, S&P, and roast until fork pierces potatoes easily (about 40 min).
• In batches, blend potatoes, onions, 1/2 c corn and spoonfuls of yogurt in food processor. Add in enough chicken broth to make a thick mixture.
 
Meanwhile, in soup pot, heat oil and saute garlic & rest of onion (sprinkled with a little salt) until lightly brown. Add vegetables (here's where you can empty out your vegetable bin--add in whatever you like. Nell often cuts up left-over asparagus and toss it in)
 
Add in rest of broth, curry powder, ginger,  the potato mixture and rest of the yogurt. Blend well, then bring to a simmer. Add more broth to get the thickness you like.
 
Stirr in some white wine or vermouth, 1/2 c or so.
Add grilled chicken strips (or cooked shrimp) and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally.
 
Before serving, add chopped parsley (and cilantro if desired) and more S&P to taste.
 
(Adding cream or half and half adds additional richness to the soup, but Nell tries to cut back on that because her husband Ben is cutting down on cholesterol.)
Nell often freezes portions of this soup.