**Roasted Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup**

This intensely flavored soup
makes a terrific first course for
Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
It's very rich and creamy without
the calories of the cream. It's also
nice chilled, so it can also be served
as a starter on a warm Indian Sum-
mer evening.

Use leftover soup to flavor risotto,
by alternating broth and soup in-
stead of just using broth.

Serves 6 to 8 (Makes about 3 quarts)

====== Ingredients ======

  *  6 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
  * 6 plum tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), cored and halved
  * 4 garlic cloves
  * 1/4 cup olive oil
  * 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  * 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  * 1 onion, chopped
  * 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  * 2 celery stalks, chopped
  * 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  * 2 teaspoons sea salt
  * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  * 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnishing the soup (Substitute 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
  * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  * 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves plus more for garnishing the soup (or 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled)
  * Juice of 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup)
  * Additional fresh sage and thyme leaves for garnish, optional

====== Procedure ======

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Place the potatoes on a baking
sheet and put them in the oven to
roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until they
are soft to the touch. Remove from
the oven and let cool enough to
handle. Remove the peel from the
potatoes; it will slip off if the pota-
toes are still warm.

Toss the tomatoes and garlic in
a an ovenproof baking dish with
2 tablespoons of the olive oil and
the balsamic vinegar and place in
the oven to roast until soft and the
skins are slightly shriveled, 30 to
35 minutes. Remove from the oven
and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons
of olive oil and the butter over
medium heat in a large saucepan.
When the butter has melted, add
the onion and cook, stirring often,
until soft and translucent, about 10
minutes. Add the carrots and celery
and cook, stirring often, until the
vegetables are soft, about 10 min-
utes longer. Add the broth, potatoes,
tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper,
reduce the heat to low and simmer,
uncovered for about 40 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Remove from
the heat and stir in the thyme,
chives and sage.

Allow the soup to cool slightly,
then purée the soup in a food
processor or blender fitted with a
metal blade, or with an immersion
blender, until it is smooth. Return
the pureed soup to the pot, add the
orange juice and stir to mix. Season
with additional salt and pepper if
desired. Reheat the soup on low
heat if needed. Serve warm, topped
with cornbread croutons, fresh sage
and thyme leaves.


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From: Southern Neighbor, November 2011