Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Garlic, Chives, and Andouille Sausage

Nothing says comfort food for me like Soup. I have been making it a goal to try some new recipes with this season's ingredients. This soup is my new favorite. It pairs nicely with rustic bread on a cool evening, and is just the right combination of rich, creamy, sweet, and spicy. I highly recommend it. This is a gluten free recipe, which is easily adapted to suit your dietary preferences. Veggie and Vegan friends: see the bottom of the page for substitutions/adaptations. Because the meat is added in at the end after the soup has been made it is perfect for omnivores and vegetarians to share together! I challenge everyone to give it a try- it is not that complicated!

I love sweet potatoes. And I'm not talking about bright orange Thanksgiving "yams" that people drench in syrup or marshmallows and overcook once a year (gag). If you have a sweet potato aversion and that has been your only experience- hear me out. The tubers I am referring to are the buttery, subtle, sweet varieties of yellow and white sweet potatoes, such as my favorite- the Hannah Hannah variety. Organic option for this, and other white and yellow fleshed sweet potatoes are readily available in our area at this time of year.

Pictured above: two vintage advertisements for Louisiana Sweet Potatoes. Do an image search for "Vintage Sweet Potato Ads" if you have time, and take a look at some of these. They are pretty amazing examples of early 1900s fruit and veggie posters from the southern U.S. - with some beautiful art as well as some unbelievable Jim-Crow marketing campaigns.

Before we get cooking, if you are wondering what the difference between the commonly confused and mislabeled sweet potato and a yam is: most of the orange-fleshed tubers sold in the United States as "yams" are actually sweet potatoes. True sweet potatoes originated in the Americas, and are members of the Morning Glory family, distant relatives of the potato. True yams, long, cylindrical tubers which have origins in Africa and Asia, have scaly skin and are contemporary carbohydrate staples in Africa and the Caribbean. The title "yam" is used for marketing purposes in the United States to distinguish the sweet potato varietals with deep orange flesh. Sweet potato flesh can vary in color from white or beige to bright orange or yellow, or even purple. For pictures of yams vs. sweet potatoes and more information from a blogger who is very passionate about this topic you can visit:

http://youknowthatblog.com/2009/06/14/yams-are-not-sweet-potatoes/

As I do not eat pork I use an organic chicken andouille sausage. Andouille sausage and sweet potatoes are commonly featured in French-Cajun cooking in Louisiana, as well as other southern cuisine. This is the stuff Jambalaya is made of. Andouille sausage is traditionally a smoky and pork sausage made in a very specific way- I don't want anyone to lose their appetite so I'll be brief- but varieties of Andouille have probably been made in France for over 1,000 years. The recipes include wine, and unlike other sausages, utilize the stomach and entire digestive system of the pig. Although Andouille is traditionally mild, Cajun Andouille, which has been adopted in the United States, has a real kick. In the end, the chicken variety is a pleasing substitute that will not disappoint. Its use in this soup imparts a warm smoky flavor to the whole dish- perfect for a cozy autumn meal.

This creation is an adaptation with roots (hehe, food pun) as an Emerille Legasse recipe. Take caution not to overfill traditional blenders with hot soup. I ended up with a scald mark on my arm when the heat and steam within the very full blender led to increased pressure and an explosion of hot soup. Whoops. Good little science experiment which i won't be repeating. Blend in reasonably sized batches and pulse with care, or use an immersion blender. And now, for the recipe:

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Garlic, Chives, and Andouille Sausage

Cooking Time: about an hour Serves: About 6-8 large bowls of soup

Ingredients

Olive Oil

3 medium-large sweet potatoes (ex- organic Hannah Hannah sweet potatoes)

3 large links chicken andouille sausage, diced into quarter-inch cubes (or 2/3 lb ground andouille)

1 Cup onions, diced

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 quart chicken broth

2/3 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper

A handful of diced chives (3-4 Tablespoons)

Sour Cream

Directions

Step 1: Cut the sweet potatoes in halves, and coat in olive oil. Place them in a small baking dish and roast in the oven until soft all of the way through when pierced with a fork (45-55 minutes).

Step 2: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin from the potatoes. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Step 3: While potatoes are cooking, heat a 1 gallon stockpot over medium-high heat and add olive oil twice around the pan. Add the diced andouille to the pot and stir occasionally. Saute until the meat is well caramelized (crisped and deep golden-brown on the outside), ~ 6 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the cooked sausage from the pan and reserve- set aside in a small bowl.

Step 4: Add the onions and garlic, and a dash more oil if needed, and saute until golden and softened, ~4-5 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Step 5: Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the soup and stir, using a spoon to break apart into smaller chunks. Simmer for 10 minutes, then blend. This can be done with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Use care not to burn yourself. Return the soup to the pot, if necessary, and stir in the heavy cream. Season with the salt and black pepper. Stir in chopped chives and andouille sausage. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream in the center of the bowl, alongside favorite bread (rosemary sourdough! woot woot!) and mixed greens (arugula and spinach with sunflower seeds in a light vinagrette).

Substitutions: For lighter/vegetarian/vegan option omit cream and cook with one additional potato to thicken, use soy-rizo instead of andouille. Substitute veggie stock or vegan bullion for chicken stock. For omnivores cooking to share with vegans/vegetarians, wipe/rinse pan and add new oil after sausage is cooked, and hold meet aside and add only to bowls of those who eat meat.

Chicken and Barley Garlic-Ginger Soup with Everything

I have a head cold, and this soup did the trick in making me feel better- warm and nutritious, as well as sinus-clearing. Went into Co-op and bought all seasonal ingredients - the soup was fresher and cheaper because of it! This was seriously an everything goes in the pot, Autumn day kind of soup- and it turned out great. I made a huge pot- probably about a gallon, of really hearty and ingredient-rich soup. Lots to freeze and lots to share.


Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Large Bunch of Carrots, diced
(I used organic, rainbow colored carrots for some variety and color- and got them with the giant tops on- a good snack for the chickens)
1 leek, sliced into thin pieces
3 celery stalks, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves
1-2 handfuls of favorite mushroom, diced
2 Cups Barley, Dry
1 whole chicken, roasted, then shredded- include all dark and light meat (free range all natural, pre-roasted chicken = cheap, easy and good)
4 quarts chicken stalk (or veggie stock, or bullion, etc)
approx. 1 lb colorful, fingerling potatoes, diced into 1/4" cubes
1 GIANT bunch dandelion greens (a little over 1 lb)
Salt and Pepper to taste




Step 1: In a large stockpot heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add carrots, leeks, celery, garlic, and spices. Cook until fragrant and just tender.

Step 2: Add mushrooms and Potatoes. Grate in a few teaspoons worth of fresh ginger. Cook until mushrooms start to gain color. Add another drizzle of olive oil if needed. Add chicken, broth, and barley. Use a zester or grater to grate all of rest of the fresh ginger into the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes- seasoning to taste and stirring occasionally.

Step 3: When flavors are coming together, soup is fragrant, and barley and potatoes are cooked through, serve soup along with foccacia.

Variations: Endless. Add everything. Spice it up. More greens, more veggies, more spices. Go crazy. Yum.

Reagan's Seafood Bisque (recipe)

I made this bisque after adapting a couple of classic recipes to include more vegetables and cut down on heavy cream. I wanted a soup that had more lean protein in it, and ended up deciding to add a final step, of adding in my favorite types of seafood after the bisque has been pureed. This is a rich, delicious soup that goes wonderfully with fresh bread, and any fresh, seasonal seafood and herbs that you have on hand.The whole prawns create the base for this dish, but aside from that, you can add just about any favorite fish or shellfish. I chose to use shrimp, lump Dungeness crab meat, and Alaskan cod. I also used fresh thyme and parsley from the garden. This recipe creates a giant crock pot of soup- I made it this way so that I could share it with friends, and freeze small containers to pull out for a quick meals down the road. If you are planning to make just enough to serve a family for one night, I would cut the recipe in half- which would then fill up a 4 qt saucepan rather than a crock pot, and easily serve 6 people as a main dish (and would give you 12-16 small cups of soup for side dishes/appetizers).

Ingredients

1 yellow onion
1 medium leek, chopped
1 bulb fennel, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cans peeled, diced tomatoes, drained
1 small can tomato paste (around 5-6 Tablespoons)
1 cup Oloroso sherry
1 pound medium sized, whole, shell on, prawns
1 cup uncooked Basmati rice
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half
2 cups vegetable stock
8 sprigs parsley & sprigs thyme- tied with cooking twine
2 teaspoons crushed, dried bay leaf
2 teaspoons crushed, dried basil
fresh ground salt and pepper
8 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
a few pinches of cayenne pepper
1 pound shrimp-I like the cooked, peeled, deviened shrimp meat (looks like tiny baby shrimp)
1/2 pound lump Dungeness crab meat
1/2 pound fillet of Alaskan Cod

Tools needed: Blender (standard or emulsion) and large crock pot

Step 1: Heat butter and olive oil in a large crock pot over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and fennel. Cook until translucent (about 8 minutes).

Step 2: Add tomatoes and tomato paste. cook until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated (about 6 minutes). Add sherry, and simmer until reduced by half (about 10 minutes). Count your whole shell on prawns, and write the number down. This will help you later when you need to remove all of them from the soup.

Step 3: Stir in prawns, rice, cream, half-and-half, and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Add bundle of fresh herbs, as well as dried basil and bay leaf. Simmer gently, stirring every few minutes, for 25 minutes. Add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes more (total time simmering = 45 minutes).


Step 4: Remove herbs and whole prawns. Discard. Puree soup in a blender. You could also use an emulsion blender or a food processor. I just have a small blender, and I ended up needing to blend two batches (about 90 % of the soup). The bisque can be served at this point. If adding seafood such as crab, shrimp, cod, halibut, shellfish, scallops, etc. follow step 5.


Step 5: After pureeing, return soup to crock pot, over medium heat. Add cod, shrimp and crab (or desired seafood). Simmer for a final 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. If adding fish, flake into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you stir.

Step 5: Garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve with warm bread. Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup with Homemade Meatballs (recipe)

Today a friend gave us a ton of greens from a weekly produce basket. I decided to try and use them by making homemade Italian Wedding Soup, with fresh greens, Israeli couscous, and homemade meatballs. I have never made meatballs before, and even though I was winging it, I was really happy with how they turned out. The quality of meat makes such a huge difference. We have been getting our meat from the UC Davis Meat Sale. Every couple of weeks UC Davis offers meat from their animal sciences program for sale. It is extremely fresh (slaughtered and butchered on site), and raised naturally- free of unneccessary antibiotics. The animals are raised in small numbers and recieve vetrinary care from UCD. The meat is SO delicious, and ground beef goes for about $2/pound. I just made up the recipe as I went along, and added what I happened to have, so I thought I'd share the basics here:

Ingredients for Meatballs:

fresh ground beef (2.5 lbs)
1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 fresh eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
freshly ground salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, using hands. When evenly mixed, use hands to shape into small meatballs. Each one should be about 2 tablespoons worth of meat mixture. This recipe should make enough to completely fill 2 cookie sheets. Bake until cooked through (~8-12 minutes).



Ingredients for Soup:

free range chicken broth
Vegetable bouillon cubes
1 pound organic Crimini mushrooms, diced
several large bunches freshly picked seasonal greens (you could use any- I used chard, kohlrabi, mustard greens, arugula, spinach, bay leaf, and a few varieties of lettuce)
Israeli couscous (I used around 2 cups, dry, for a huge stockpot of soup)


For soup:

Put a stockpot on the stove, and fill with 50% free range chicken broth, 50% water. Bring to a boil. Add vegetable bouillon cubes (Use the amount of water added to broth to determine number of cubes- ratio on package, usually 2 cups per cube).
Add diced Crimini mushrooms, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add choped greens and bay leaves, cook for another 5 minutes. Add Isreali couscous, cook for a final 5 minutes.

Vegetarians can eat soup plain (if you are eating with people who don't like to use chicken broth, you can use veggie stock exclusively), meat eaters can add meatballs as desired. A bowl of soup with 4 meatballs is well balanced. Garnish bowls of soup with parmesan cheese, and serve with freshly baked rustic bread.