Spiced Sweet Potato Bisque

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Soup always makes a rough day right. I have been working tirelessly on many a food project and by the time I roll home in the wee hours of the night, nothing does me right like a solid bowl of sweet potato bisque. I have recently fell in love with steaming veggies like squash and potatoes. I find that it gives you more control of the texture, in that you can easily check on them, you use half the water you would when boiling and you get an awesome concentrated stock out of the process! This soup is super easy and can be taken in any direction. I decided to add a little protein and used a chicken stock, but it can easily be vegetarian. I also went for really aromatic spices and suspect that this would also make a great curry. 

Spiced Sweet Potato Bisque  

3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

5 cups stock (vegetable or chicken) 

3 gloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup cream

1 teaspoons of turmeric, curry, cinnamon, cumin, chili powder

salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot with a steam basket, boil roughly 3 cups of water. Add quartered sweet potatoes and steam until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Remove basket and keep remaining liquid. Add potatoes and mash until smooth. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Season to taste and and top with garnish.  

Suggested Toppings

2 apples, diced

1 large onion, diced

cooked ground turkey or your favorite sausage

In a skillet sauté apples and onions until golden. 


 

 

Roasted Herb Chicken

 The scent of sage, rosemary and chicken are the perfect perfume to remind you that fall is right around the corner. I have already been unreasonably excited for the season and dreaming of honey crisp apples, pumpkins and all the rich & savory dishes I can create. When I decided to roast a whole chicken, I was excited to put a little extra effort in and brine my bird before roasting. For those of you who aren't familiar with brining meat, this is a wonderful way to ensure your bird is tender and juicy. You can brine all meats and it is easy to do so, but it does require a bit of foresight. A brine essentially consist of a salt water solution and can be seasoned in anyway you would like and really makes a difference in the final product. 

Roasted Herb Chicken

BRINE-In a large container add, 1 gallon water, and stir in 3/4 cup salt, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Season with 2 tablespoon pepper corns, 2 sage leaves and 1 rosemary sprig. Cover and place in fridge for 2 hours or overnight (The longer the better). 

Season the bird and rub with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place bird on top a bed of carrots & potatoes with some rosemary and sage. You can also stuff your chicken with garlic, lemons and more herbes for added flavor. For a 4 pound bird, roast at 325 for 2 hours checking often. If your chicken skin is browning to quickly, place a tent of tin foil over the breast. 

Enjoy!