Recipe: Sweet Potato Soup with Matchstick Fries and Frizzled Leeks

From Denny: We love our sweet potatoes here in Louisiana! From Canada.com comes yet another way to enjoy our beloved sweet potato in a gourmet soup. There is a recipe converter link listed after the posting area on this blog in case you are not familiar with the Canadian version of measurements.

Sweet Potato Soup with Matchstick Fries and Frizzled Leeks

This recipe comes from Chuck's Day Off show.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

The Sweet Potato Soup

3 large sweet potatoes, cut in chunks

3 leeks, roughly chopped

Pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Nub of butter

6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock

1 big knuckle of fresh ginger (about 1 tablespoon / 15 mL) peeled and grated)

2 cups water (500 mL)

Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes.

Wash leeks well and drain, remove any damaged outside peel, remove the hairy white tips from the end, and cut leeks into one-inch slices (leave one three-inch section aside to be fried later for the garnish).

Soften leeks in a large pot with a nub of butter, the salt and pepper. Do not brown.

Add six cups of stock or water

Add sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil until cooked through - just softer than fork tender. Using an immersion blender, purée the ingredients until they are thoroughly blended.

Add the grated ginger, and test for consistency. If too thick, add a bit more water. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as needed. Place in a bowl and garnish with a mound of hot crispy matchstick potatoes and frizzled leeks.


Matchstick Fries and Frizzled Leeks

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (or another medium-starch potato)

Canola oil for frying

A sprinkle of salt, pepper

3-inch (8-cm) piece of leek, julienned

A dusting of potato starch

Peel and cut potatoes into matchstick slices.

Rinse them under cold water in a strainer to remove excess starch. Let drain well. Pat dry. In a deep fryer set at 350 degrees F (180C), fry for three to five minutes submerged in canola oil until a nice, deep golden brown. Drain on a paper towel or absorbent cloth. Hit them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper right away.

Cut strips of leek into julienne slices similar to potato. In a small bowl, place two tablespoons of starch and lightly dust the leek pieces in it to help prevent burning. Fry the three-inch strips of leek in same oil until they are just golden - about one minute, to make "frizzled leeks."

Add to your bowl of matchstick fries. Mix them together. Garnish in a little mound on top of the soup.

***

Chuck's Day Off airs on the Food Network on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. For more information on Chuck Hughes's TV show and for more recipes, go to: www.foodtv.ca/chucksdayoff

For previous columns and recipes, go to www.montrealgazette.com/life and click on Food & Wine

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

New Orleans Restaurant Review: Boucherie

Image by marcp_dmoz via Flickr

From Country Roads Magazine: "In a city where good times often equate to good food, the joy of finding a terrific restaurant where you can wine and dine really well on extraordinary food and libations, at extremely reasonable prices, can produce a near-reverential response.

Boucherie, the new eatery that occupies the former Iris restaurant site just off Carrollton Avenue near New Orleans’ Riverbend, fulfills that need for those who want to enjoy the excitement of dining out on exceptional cuisine in a carefree, lighthearted environment. The kicker is that none of the food items cost more than $15…not even the specials."

For the full review, go here.

Recipes from Boucherie: These guys sure don't lack for imagination in their food offerings!

Oyster and Sweet Potato Soup with Grilled Fennel

From: Boucherie

18 oysters, shucked, reserving liquid
2 Tbsp butter
1 Vidalia onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 head garlic
2 sweet potatoes
1 Idaho potato
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 qt veggie stock
1 bulb fennel
1 tsp fennel seed

Sweat onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in butter, add peeled and chopped potatoes. Add liquid, thyme, and bay leaves and slowly cook until potatoes are tender. Quickly purée in blender until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, soy sauce, and thyme. Blanche fennel bulbs in water with fennel seeds until tender. Grill until almost charred. Bring soup up to a boil and drop in oysters.

Serve immediately.

***

Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Stir-Fried Rapini

From: Boucherie

(Serves 15- 20)

1 whole pork belly
2 cups fish sauce
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
1 head garlic
1 bunch scallions
½ cup ginger
2 Tbsp grated palm sugar
Water to cover
3 bunches cleaned rapini
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2 Tbps soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice

Combine first eight ingredients and slowly bring belly up to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, or until tender. Lay in a casserole dish and cover with cooking liquid. Press with weights, and cool overnight. Slice into 3 ounce portions and sear the skin until crispy. Stir fry rapini with ginger and garlic, add soy and lime juice.

***

Drunken Red Wine Sausage

From: Boucherie

(makes 20 sausages) to be served with Creamy White Beans, or on Bread

5 lbs diced pork butt
1/4 cup salt
2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup strong red wine (cabernet or shiraz)
10 feet hog casing

Season pork and bring to near freezing, while freezing grinder parts. Finely grind pork and mix in chilled red wine until emulsified. Refrigerate and set up sausage stuffing attachment. Pipe into casing, twisting sausages between each link. Let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour uncovered to allow pellicle to form. Slowly smoke to 150 degrees internal temperature. Grill over high heat and serve immediately.

***

Bacon Brownies

From: Boucherie

(Makes 10-12)

3 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbsp bacon fat
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup finely chopped bacon (preferably cured and smoked)

Melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate with bacon fat over a bain-marie. Cool to lukewarm. Cream sugar and eggs together and slowly add melted chocolate. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and bacon pieces. Line pan and bake at 350 degrees until brownies are set.