Sweet Potato Soup with Smoked Collard Greens and Turkey

Feb. 28, 2007 — -- Serves six people

In my family the sweet potato was the starch of choice especially when grandma put some extra brown sugar to sweeten it up. Today when preparing my signature sweet potato "pot au feu," which means slow cooked in a large pot, I use the versatile sweet potato soup as a starter course during the fall and winter seasons for my family and guests. At home I serve it with braised collared greens and the meat from smoked turkey legs as a garnish.

For Soup:

For Collard Greens:

For Soup:

In a medium to large pot over high eat, add olive oil blend, sweet potatoes and onions, sweat until caramelized. Add chicken stock and bring to simmer. Tie up all fresh herbs with butcher string and add to simmering soup. Once sweet potatoes are tender, with a slotted spoon remove potatoes from pot and place in a food processor. Strain off cooking liquid and set aside, disregarding herbs. Slowly add cooking liquid, butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste to food processor and mix well.

Pour pureed soup into another pot and bring to a low simmer, add heavy cream and butter. Let simmer while cooing collard greens. Finish by sprinkling nutmeg.

For Collard Greens:

Add the chicken stock, smoked turkey leg, bay leaf, collard greens, onion and salt and pepper to deep pot and place on stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for an hour.

Remove pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove collard greens and turkey from stock. The turkey meat should be very tender. Pick it from the bone and set aside.

Spoon collard greens into bottom of a bowl and then add a few pieces of turkey meat. When ready to serve, pour sweet potato broth over collard greens and turkey.