Sweet Potato-Jalapeno Soup With Tomatillo Cream

Notes: Another wonderful recipe from one of our favorite cookbooks, The California Cook by Diana Rossen Worthington (Tantam, 1994). A hit at any holiday potluck, you can also make a meal out of this beautifully colored soup, served along with whole-grain rolls and a crispy salad.

As nourishing as it is delicious, the yams are rich in protective carotenoids and fiber, and the corn adds a subtle crunch plus additional fiber. Southwestern seasonings plus the tartness of the Tomatillo Cream provide just the right contrast to the natural sweetness of the yams and corn.

You can prepare this soup up to 3 days ahead, but the Tomatillo Cream and garnish need to be prepared within a hour or so of serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 med. leeks, white part only, cleaned and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 3 lbs. (about 6 med.) yams (reddish brown-skinned sweet potatoes), peeled, cut into 2-in. pieces
• 1 tsp. dark brown sugar (optional)
• 6-7 cups chicken stock 1 cup (11-oz. can vacuum-packed) corn (preferably Shoepeg), reserve 1/2 cup for garnish

Tomatillo Cream and Garnish

• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. tomatillo salsa (green salsa)
• 1/2 cup corn
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
• 8 tsp. fresh lime juice

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 6-quart soup pot or casserole over medium-high heat, add the leeks, and saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cumin, lower the heat, and cook for another minute. Add the sweet potatoes, 6 cups stock, jalapeno, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are very tender.

Puree the soup in the pan with a hand beater or in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining cup of chicken stock if the soup is too thick. Return the soup to the pot if necessary and bring it to a simmer. Add the lime juice, brown sugar (if desired), and corn kernels. Cook the soup for 3 minutes more. Taste for seasoning.

To make the Tomatillo Cream: combine in a small bowl the yogurt, salsa, 1 tbsp. of the cilantro, and the salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a tbsp. of tomatillo cream, a sprinkling of the corn kernels, the remaining chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Makes 8 cups. Each cup provides about 260 calories, 7 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 52 grams carbohydrate, and 7 grams fiber.