Recipe of the Week
By Chef Mark Allison
Sweet Potato, Kale, Coconut & Peanut Soup
Serve 4 to 6
Lacinato kale, Tuscan kale, dino kale, black kale, this variety goes by many names. This kale variety has hearty, ridged, and almost frilly leaves. It’s more tender than curly kale and red kale, making it a good candidate for raw and quickly cooked dishes. It contains many of the nutrition benefits of regular kale such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K but has a milder, sweeter taste that’s more palatable.
Combined with sweet potatoes, fresh cilantro, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, and roasted peanuts, this dish provides a spicy yet sweet amalgamation of wholesome deliciousness. Plus, look at the amazing health benefits provided by the ingredients in this soup:
- Ginger relieves nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness, and pain. The root or underground stem (rhizome) of the ginger plant can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice. Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, alongside cardamom and turmeric.
- Garlic and its invigorating properties protect the skin from free radicals and slow down the depletion of collagen which leads to loss of elasticity in aging skin. Applied topically, garlic does wonders to skin infected with fungal infections and provides relief from skin ailments like eczema. It is also an effective remedy for fungal infections like athlete’s foot and ringworms.
- Turmeric continues to surprise researchers in terms of its diverse health benefits. Anti-inflammation, decreased cancer risk, and support of detoxification where once thought to be the spice’s benefits. Studies on turmeric intake now include its potential for improving cognitive function, regulating blood sugar balance, and improving kidney function, as well reducing severity associated with certain forms of arthritis and certain digestive disorders.
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Ingredients:
2 cups roasted shelled peanuts, roughly chop 1 cup roughly for garnish
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 loose cup of fresh cilantro (leave a few springs for garnish)
2 Serrano or jalapeño chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped, divided
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 14oz cans full-fat coconut milk
2 cups vegetable stock
6 green onions roughly chopped, divided
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into half inch dice
2 cups lacinato kale, thick stems discarded, leaves roughly chopped
1 lime, juice of
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked wild rice for serving
How to make:
Place garlic, ginger, cilantro, one cup of peanuts, half of the chilies, turmeric, cumin, salt, and one can of coconut milk into a blender. Blend until you have a smooth, sauce-like consistency.
Place the sauce into a medium-size saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Stir in the remaining can of coconut milk and the vegetable stock. Add the green onions and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Carefully pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the pan and reheat. Then add the kale, and simmer for three to four minutes or until the kale has wilted. Stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve the soup with cooked rice, and cilantro, chopped peanuts, green onions, and sliced chilies sprinkled on top.
Chef Mark
