Smokey Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet potato soup southwest style! The recipe is from El Paso Inside Magazine.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  slices bacon, diced
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  large leek, trimmed, washed and minced (both white and pale green parts)
• 2 -4  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2  sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
• 2 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 -4  pickled jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
•  salt
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. In heavy skillet cook the diced bacon until crisp, remove bacon from skillet and reserve for other uses.
2. To the same skillet with bacon drippings, add the chopped onion, leek and garlic; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add the cut sweet potatoes and stir for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chicken stock, thyme and nutmeg, bring to a boil.
5. Partially cover and simmer over low heat until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 2o to 30 minutes.
6. Transfer the potatoes, vegetables and most of the broth to the blender reserving remaining broth in a separate container.
7. Puree the potato mixture until smooth, return the puree to the soup pot, add cream and thin with remaining broth to desired consistency.
8. Season to taste with salt.
9. To serve, reheat soup stirring often, garnish with sour cream and pickled jalapenos.
10. The soup can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving.