Sweet Potato Soup With Roasted Date Crunch

The silan in this sweet potato soup adds a touch of sweetness, and the date garnish is a really nice addition. The dates become crunchy and caramelized, and are a welcome change from the typical nut garnishes.

Directions

Prepare the Soup

1. Heat oil in a six-quart pot. Add onions and sauté until golden. Add garlic toward the end and sauté for an additional minute.

2. Add sweet potatoes and carrots. Sauté three to five minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in silan, soup mix, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add boiling water to cover vegetables, plus a little more.

4. Cover and cook about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add thyme stems and cook three to four minutes more.

5. Remove soup from heat. Remove thyme stems and discard (leaves can stay in the soup). Blend until smooth with an immersion blender.

Prepare the Date Crunch

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). (I recommend using a toaster oven for such a small item.) Line a baking sheet with Gefen Parchment Paper.

2. Place dates on the prepared baking sheet. Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast five minutes, or until slightly crispy.

3. Garnish each bowl of soup with roasted dates and extra thyme leaves.

Tips:

For a milder thyme taste, remove both the thyme stems and leaves from the soup before blending. The soup will still be infused with that awesome flavor, albeit to a lesser degree.