Since we moved to the Northwest, I’ve had major farmers market withdrawls. There are only a few year-round markets here and none of them are that close to where we live. But without the usual variety we had in California, I’ve been trying new recipes to keep things fresh…including this sweet potato soup…well, they’re actually yams, but…
The sweet potatoes have a terrific richness and you get a silky soup without using cream. One chipotle pepper is probably enough – I did two and didn’t seed them and the smokiness of the pepper somewhat overpowered the flavor of the yam. To add texture, next time I’ll garnish with a little rendered bacon on top.
Roast the yams ahead of time in a 350 oven until really soft. Could be up to an hour.
In a small dutch oven, heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent. Add yams and break up into small pieces. Stir in chicken broth. Add nutmeg and maple syrup. Bring to a boil and stir periodically. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in chipotles and adobo sauce. Cook for a few minutes more to let the chipotles meld.
Pour the soup by thirds into a blender and blend until smooth. Pass the soup through a strainer to get rid of stringy bits and seeds from the chipotles.