dinner with miss noli

Update: this recipe was awesome!  I made the soup the night before and I would definitely do that!  I made a few adjustments to quantities and some tips for what I would do next time.

Having a beautiful girlfriend over tomorrow, before she moves to Zambia...*sniffle*...and I'm going to make her this Roasted Sweet Potato Soup to send her off!  Making it tonight, so everything can blend for tomorrow.  I'll let you know if its one worth making!

Ingredients:
Serves 4 (makes 6 cups)

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
*roast the red pepper in advance
2 jalapeno peppers, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
4 cups vegetable broth, homemade or canned

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 small tart apple peeled, cored, and diced

1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped mint, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour until potatoes are very soft. When cool enough to handle, scoop cooked potato out of the skins. Discard skins (EAT the skins...they're awesome!).

2. Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add bell pepper, jalapenos, and garlic; cook for 10 minutes (you can cover it at this point to soften everything up). Add sherry, sweet potato, and broth (in that order); stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until flavors have blended.

3. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender (I used a hand blender in the same pot I was cooking in). Combine batches in a clean pot. The soup should be thick. (If you prefer a thinner soup, add a little more broth.) Taste and adjust seasoning. (LET SOUP STAND OVERNIGHT)

4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, honey, and curry powder to a boil. Add apple; stir for a few minutes and remove from heat. To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, add a spoonful of apples, a spoonful of yogurt, and a sprinkle of mint.

Recipe courtesy of whole living...check it out!