Worth the effort! (Even if you hate sweet potatoes!)

Soup Ingredients:

• 5 Tab butter
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 9 c chicken stock
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 5-6 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ¼ c maple syrup
• 2-5 small sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 c cream
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• salt and white pepper to taste

Soup Directions:

1. In a 6 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and curry powder.
3. Cook for about 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pan, heat the stock to a simmer.
5. Add the sweet potato to the onion mixture.
6. Then add the heated stock, maple syrup , thyme, and cayenne.
7. Cook until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes.
8. Remove the thyme sprigs.
9. Puree the soup in small batches and strain.
10. Return the soup to heat and add the cream, nutmeg, salt & white pepper.
11. Transfer to individual bowls and serve with a dollop of Rum Cream.

Rum Cream Ingredients:

• 1 c heavy cream
• ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp grated lemon zest
• 5 Tab good quality dark rum
• pinch of sugar

Rum Cream Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
2. Add the lemon juice and zest, rum and sugar.
3. Continue whipping until the cream is almost stiff.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves: 10

Source: The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook: A Consuming Passion, By Patrick O’Connell, Washington, Virgina