Sweet potato and asparagus soup

We are continuing our series of asparagus recipes as long as fresh and affordable asparagus is available. This recipe may first sound like a strange combination, but this soup has made it directly into our top 5 favorites.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

• 500 grams (2 large) sweet potatoes
• 2-3 med. shallots, peeled and chopped  (or 1 onion)
• 4 tbs. soy margarine
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1 tbs. brown sugar
• 2 cups vegetable bouillon
• cayenne pepper
• 8 stalks white asparagus
• 1 tbs. rice vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
2. Chop the shallots fine.
3. Cut the yellow bell pepper, remove the seeds and cut in into small p[pieces.
4. Melt the soy margarine in a large pot add the chopped shallots and saute them until they are glassy.
5. Add the sweet potato pieces and saute them.
6. Add the chopped yellow bell.
7. Add the vegetable bouillon and cook the mixture until the sweet potatoes are soft.
8. Meanwhile, peel the asparagus.
9. Remove the bottom, woody part of the stem, and slice on a diagonal, the asparagus into pieces.
10. Cook the asparagus in a separate pot or pan until they are soft.
11. By this time, the sweet potatoes should be soft, remove a couple of tablespoons full of sweet potatoes and set aside.
12. Puree the rest of the mixture to a smooth soup.
13. Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper sugar and the rice vinegar.
14. Return the sweet potato pieces to the soup and add the asparagus pieces also.
15. Serve the soup with pieces of asparagus and sweet potato for each person.

Notes:

The handy thing about this soup, is that you can also use canned or jarred asparagus as an alternative to the fresh. Obviously, the fresh is nicer, but by using the canned or jarred, it would extend the opportunities to enjoy this lovely soup – it would even be nice at a special Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.