This may be the best soup I have ever created, and while my children say I should hoard the recipe as some kind of clandestine concoction, I'm sharing it, and I think you'll love me for it. Keep in mind that all amounts and processes are approximate, as I was all about the flow-of-gastronomical-consciousness on this one.
Sweet Potato Chowder with Bacon and Leeks
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 leek, sliced fairly thinly (1/4"ish)
1/4 c. white cooking wine
4-5 lg. sweet potatoes or yams
2-3 c. water
4 c. milk (whole milk is, like, yummy)
1 pt. heavy whipping cream
flour, mixed in water, to thicken (about 1/4-1/2 c. of flour)
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 bunch green onions, chopped (or sliced, however you look at it)
1/4-1/2 c. tequila
1/2-1 c. romano cheese, grated
Okay, so you saute your bacon and leeks in the vegetable oil in a decently-sized soup pot, and throw in some white cooking wine. Cook over fairly med-highish heat until the yummy caramelly thing starts happening, then remove everything and throw it in a bowl for later.
Cube up your sweet potatoes, add that and the water back into the pot, and cook on high until the sweet potatoes start to be tender; add the milk and whipping cream, and bring it back to a simmer, then add in the flour/water mixture, salt and pepper and nutmeg. When that all starts to thicken up and bubble oh-so-deliciously, toss back in your bacon-n-leeks mixture and the green onions, and then throw in some tequila and let the alcohol cook off. Add the romano cheese, give it all one last good stir, and throw in some more tequila just for good measure. ;) Serve to the hungry masses, who have been drooling at the smells since the bacon first hit the pot.
Serves about 10 as a lunch soup or more for a course, of course.
3 comments:
It sounds YUMMY but--Since my honey gave up alcohol 50 yrs ago, is the tequilla necessary to the great taste? Any thoughts on something to replace it? Even though I know I would be cooking the alcohol off, it would be a "stumbling block" for Gene.
Vinegar, any variety but try apple cider or rice vinegar, adds a depth and complexity to almost any stew, soup or sauce.
Teri, the recipe sounds delicious.
Ginny
Ginny, that vinegar idea strikes me as really, really odd. But then, tequila strikes most people that way, too, so I'll have to give it a try and see what happens! Won't it curdle my cream? Or would that be a good thing?
Joyce,
I'm sure it would be just fine without the tequila...I just happened to have a bottle lying about that was given to me, and so it was either use it in some sort of incendiary capacity, or throw it into food to cook it off and use it up. And BRAVO for Gene for giving up alcohol that long ago!! As my culinarily-astute aunt Virginia posted just below you, the apple cider vinegar would probably make a lovely replacement. And it's cheap! And good for you! Let me know if you decide to try it--I'm always up for a variation on a theme.
--Teri.
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