Creamy Sweet Potato With Ginger Soup

Ingredients

• tablespoon solive oil
• 1/2 pound speeled raw sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
• large onion, cut into large dice
• tablespoon butter
• pinch sugar
• large garlic clove s, thickly slice d
• 1/2 teaspoon sground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• cup schicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
• 1/2 cup shalf-and-half (or whole milk)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish: chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Instructions

1. Gather the ingredients. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
2. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering. Add sweet potatoes, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until vegetables start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
3. Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
4. Add ginger, nutmeg and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
5. Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
6. Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop out center or by lifting one edge of the lid.
7. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel.
8. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half and half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.) Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco
9. Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half and half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve. Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco