Sweet Potato-Ancho Bisque with Red Pepper Cream

Serves 8 to 10

Soup:
2 dried ancho chilies
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrot
1/3 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 medium clove garlic, minced
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound orange-fleshed sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-
inch chunks
12 ounces baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup milk

Red pepper cream:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped jarred roasted red bell pepper
1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To prepare soup: Rinse ancho chilies and pull off stems; shake out
seeds. Put chilies into a small bowl and cover with hot water (just
below the boiling point). Soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Then
drain and rinse briefly. Coarsely chop and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add
onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until
tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in broth, sweet and baking potatoes, ancho chilies, salt and
pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover
and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.
To make the cream: Puree bell pepper in a blender. Add sour cream
and blend to mix. (Add a couple teaspoons water if needed to loosen
just a bit.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until
ready to serve.
When potatoes are tender, puree soup in several batches with a
blender or food processor until smooth, adding some of the milk to
each batch. Cool, cover and refrigerate.
Reheat soup over medium-low heat, stirring often. Don't let soup
come to a boil. Add a dollop of the red pepper cream and serve.


>From "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes" by
Paulette Mitchell.




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