Serves 8 as a starter, 6 as a main
The wow factor here is that a simple soup can taste so good. Give orange-flesh sweet potatoes a gentle roast to caramelise them without scorching. Roasting the veggies a day in advance makes this a 15-minute meal.
Stir through some spinach for an injection of chlorophyll. A splash of lime juice brightens the flavours, a drizzle of macadamia oil highlights the nutty element and a sprinkle of crushed macadamias and coriander enlivens the presentation. Sweet spuds calm inflammation in brain and nerve tissues; coupled with ginger and turmeric, they help ease joint pain and swelling, so you’ve got a ‘souper’ arthritis aid.
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
- 1 kg orange-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Quarter of a tsp natural salt, plus extra to taste
- 1.9 litres vegetable stock
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- Half a tsp ground turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus extra to taste
- 70 g raw unsalted macadamias
- Fresh lime juice, to serve
- Finely chopped coriander, to serve
Optional boosters
- 80 g baby spinach (or other leafy greens)
- Macadamia oil, to serve
- Finely chopped raw unsalted macadamias, to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner or baking paper.
- Toss the onions and sweet potatoes with the oil and salt and spread them out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 1 hour until the vegetables are tender but not burnt. You don’t want any black bits.
- Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large saucepan and add the vegetable stock, ginger, turmeric and cayenne. Bring the mixture to the boil, then lower the heat to medium-high and simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the macadamias. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes to soften the nuts and cool the soup slightly. Working in batches, pour the soup into your blender and purée on high for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. (For conventional blenders, remove the small centre lid cap and cover the opening with a tea towel so steam can escape while you blend.) Return the soup to the saucepan, and warm it over a low heat, and tweak the salt and cayenne to taste. Stir in the spinach booster until the leaves are just wilted.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and splash each serving with lime juice. Garnish with a drizzle of the macadamia oil booster, and sprinkle with the coriander and the chopped macadamia booster.
Tess Masters is an actor, cook, and author of The Blender Girl cookbook. The Perfect Blend functions not only as a cookbook but also as a guide for how to lead a more vibrant and healthy life. For your chance to win 1 of 3 copies of The Perfect Blend, enter our competition here.
About the Author / Gareth Hargreaves
Gareth looks after all editorial content on 50connect. He is the Swiss Army knife of content ideas and production.
