Culinary Guides

This is a warming way to use up late winter roots. A cubed sweet potato simmers with plenty of onion, garlic, ginger, and yellow curry, then gets blended smooth with homemade hazelnut butter for a sweet, nutty finish. A dollop of yogurt and a scatter of parsley on top and it is dinner.

Ingredients

For the hazelnut butter

• 16 ounces raw hazelnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons honey

For the soup

• 2 tablespoons ghee (or unsalted butter)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder (start with 1 1/2 tablespoons if you are sensitive to heat)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed (about 1.5 pounds)
• 3 cups water, plus more if needed
• 3 tablespoons hazelnut butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• Whole milk yogurt for serving

Directions

Make the hazelnut butter

1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a cast iron pan or baking sheet and toast until fragrant and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Pour the nuts onto a kitchen towel and roll them around to rub off most of the skins. The more skins you remove, the creamier the butter.
3. Blend the skinned hazelnuts in a food processor until creamy and slightly runny, about 7 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the salt and honey and blend to combine. Taste and adjust.

Make the soup

1. Melt the ghee in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, and salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add the cubed sweet potato and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Carefully blend the soup with the hazelnut butter until smooth, using a blender in batches or an immersion blender in the pot.
5. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the whole milk. Thin with a little more water if needed, then season well with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped roasted hazelnuts, parsley, and a dollop of yogurt. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Grower's tip: The onion base is where this soup gets its depth, and onions store beautifully if you cure them right. After pulling, let them dry in a single layer in a warm, airy, shaded spot for two to three weeks until the necks are papery, and they will keep for months of soups like this one.

The soup keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes for up to 3 months; cool it fully first and reheat gently. Carrots or parsnips can stand in for some of the sweet potato, and coconut milk works in place of the whole milk.

You may buy the sweet potato, but the aromatics and garnishes are easy to grow. Keep an onion bed going, grow a pot of parsley for the top, and add homegrown carrots or parsnips to the pot when you have them.