MAKE IT:
0. (optional) roast a chicken, give thanks for its life, and eat. make stock.
1. cut up and boil sweet potatoes, and blend with stock until creamy using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. (this is also an excellent use for leftover baked or roasted sweet potatoes). set aside.
2. dice several onions and turnips and cook over low heat with a little oil (i used coconut, but any oil would do) until rather soft. you want a lot of onions– about equal to the amount of turnips– unless you don’t. maybe you don’t like onions. add a few (or several) cloves of coarsely chopped garlic.
3. to the onions, turnips, and garlic, add canned or pre-cooked chickpeas and the sweet potato base you made in the first step. Thin as desired with stock or water, and add salt and herbs/spices to taste. (suggested flavor profile: oregano, thyme, paprika, cumin, garlic powder) simmer for awhile so the flavors can “marry” (or form a delicious civil union, if you will)
HOW WE ATE IT:
with a bunch of greens (collards, turnips, mustard) cooked with tamari and rice wine vinegar (did you throw those turnip greens away? i mean, did you compost them? don’t do that, they are delicious, albeit a little spiky- cook thoroughly) and bread and butter.
VARIATIONS:
a. obviously you don’t need to eat a chicken first. but, after all, “if you want to make an apple pie from scratch you must first create the universe.” (just saying.)
b. and of course, you don’t need to blend the sweet potatoes with the stock, but it gives a nice texture and makes the soup feel more filling, amy says “special.” they’re just going to fall apart anyway, so take the extra step. it’s worth it. you’re worth it.
c. you could use white potatoes or pumpkin to make the base, in addition to, or instead of, sweet potatoes.
d. really you could use any combination of vegetables in step 2– carrots would be great, or beets (if you don’t mind fuchsia soup); celery perhaps? let your imagination run wild
e. make the whole thing vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
f. throw in leftover pasta, rice, or other grains near the end. (why not, right?)
PRO TIP:
notice i didn’t include amounts. don’t worry. just make a lot, you’ll want leftovers.
