A lovely soup with a classic sweet potato and apple combo.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 2 tsp chopped fresh ginger, plus 1 extra tsp finely chopped, to garnish (optional)
- 450g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large Bramley apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 900ml vegetable stock, plus a little extra as necessary
- Small bunch of fresh coriander, plus a few sprigs, chopped, to garnish
- Lemon juice, to taste
- 2 pinches caster sugar
- 1 large dessert apple, cored and chopped, to garnish (optional)
- 4 tbsp yogurt or sour cream
Method
- 1. Fry the onion very gently, covered, in 2 tablespoons of the oil or butter for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and the sweet potato and fry gently, covered for another 6-8 minutes. (The vegetables should gently sweat rather than fry.) Add the apple, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, coriander and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, half covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato and apple are tender.
- 2. Put in a blender to form a smooth soup, thin out if you like with a little more stock. Add some lemon juice and maybe a pinch of sugar to taste – depending on how sweet or tart your apples are. Reheat gently, but do not boil.
- 3. If you like an apple garnish, fry the apple and ginger gently in the remaining oil or butter until browned and just tender, add a good pinch of sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Ladle the soup into hot bowls. Drizzle a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream over each bowl, then a spoonful of the apple (if using) and some chopped coriander. Grind over some black pepper, and serve.
Chef's tip
A lovely soup to make with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. The acidity in the apples balances out the sweetness of the potato, while the fresh ginger adds a warm, spicy background flavour.
Wine Recommendation
Bit of an obstacle course for wine, but the straightforward, appley Pinot Blanc from Alsace works well.