by lauren
View
my 13 other recipes »
Photo by Sarah Shatz
A&M's Testing Notes:
Expand Collapselauren's Notes:
Expand
1/4 cup
plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
2 tablespoons
zaatar (see headnote)
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 tablespoon
butter
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1
onion, peeled and diced
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1
carrot, peeled and diced
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1
leek, white part only, rinsed thoroughly and diced
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
5
medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
6 cups
water
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
2 cups
chicken stock
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1
bay leaf
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
1 tablespoon
salt
Ask the
hotline about
this ingredient!
In a small pot, combine ¼ cup olive oil and the zaatar. Cook over medium heat until hot, but take care not to burn the zaatar. Set aside for at least one hour to cool and infuse.
Ask the hotline about this step!In a large pot, heat the butter and remaining olive oil over medium high heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, carrot, and leek, and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and sauté for another minute. Add the water, stock, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Once the soup begins to boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check to make sure the sweet potatoes are completely soft. If not, continue cooking until they are.
Ask the hotline about this step!Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using a regular or immersion blender. Check the seasoning and add the salt (you may need more or less depending on what type of stock you used). Ladle out the soup into individual bowls. Crumble some feta into each bowl, and drizzle each bowl with some of the zaatar oil.
Ask the hotline about this step!Your soup is delicious, and I especially like the zaatar and the feta additions. My husband made it for lunch the other day, a nice surprise that I tell about here:
http://www.mediterraneanista.com/content/husbands-who-make-soup-are-well-just-wonderful
Thank you!
Looks good! And good to hear confirmation of hyssop... I got to this (vs. the too-vague "thyme" translation) through tasting a bunch of herbs, but haven't seen anyone else say hyssop in English.
husband is away in the country with the boys (building fires or benches, whatever they do) and I have the day free to try this amazing looking soup.
Glad to hear you like it!
Teri - I don't have an exact weight amount and I don't have any sweet potatoes in the house at the moment, but I used 5 skinny/smaller ones. I'd say they were probably about or a little more than 2 lbs / 1 kilo worth, but can't be completely sure!
It is really nice to find a sweet potato soup recipe in the butternut squash forrest. I will definitely try this one.
Can you suggest a weight amount for the sweet potatoes? In Japan, the sweet potatoes are either skinny or king kong size. Thanks!
I have yet to get my hands on and cook with zaatar. Will do so soon...this looks great!
Steven is the author of the best-selling Barbecue Bible and the host of two grilling TV shows: The Primal Grill and Barbecue University.
photo 1 of 16
photo 2 of 16
Zaatar, an herb blend with sesame seeds, often including thyme, hyssop, and oregano, is used as both a flavoring, in an oil such as this, or a condiment on hummus or sandwiches.
photo 3 of 16
Lauren calls for the carrot to be diced. Merrill has impressive knife skills, but since the soup will be pureed, precision is not terribly important for any of the vegetables.
photo 4 of 16
photo 5 of 16
Cleaning the leeks. (See Amanda's explanation here)
photo 6 of 16
photo 7 of 16
Be sure to watch the oil carefully -- you don't want to burn the zaatar.
photo 8 of 16
photo 9 of 16
photo 10 of 16
photo 11 of 16
photo 12 of 16
Lauren thoughtfully reminded us to remove the bay leaf before pureeing.
photo 13 of 16
It turns out, Amanda is a daredevil with the immersion blender. It came reaaaally close to us being covered in soup.
photo 14 of 16
Amanda however, was proud of the pretty patterns she could make. Here, she saw flowers.
photo 15 of 16
Our soup may have simmered for a moment too long, so after pureeing, along with seasoning the soup, we added a splash of water to thin it out.
photo 16 of 16
Wow, this is right down my alley!! It's going to my women's poker group tomorrow night.