Sengalese peanut soup

8 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
-JUDI M. PHELPS
1largeOnion; finely chopped
2Garlic cloves; chopped
1teaspoonCayenne pepper; or more to taste
2tablespoonsPeanut or vegetable oil
2tablespoonsCurry powder; such as garam masala
3cupsChicken broth
10mediumsTomatoes; cut in half crosswise, seeds squeezed out, and coarsely chopped
Or
5cupsCanned tomatoes, drained and seeded, and chopped
cupSmooth peanut butter*
Salt and pepper
Sour Cream
Lime wedges

Directions

*It's better to use old-fashioned peanut butter without stabilizers to keep it from separating.

In a 4-quart pot over medium heat, cook the onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper in the oil until the onion turns translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and stir the mixture over medium heat for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes, simmer for 10 minutes more, and strain the soup through the fine disk of a food mill or push it through a medium-mesh strainer with a ladle.

Bring the soup to a simmer and whisk in the peanut butter. Season with salt and pepper and more cayenne if you want it hotter. Serve sour cream and lime wedges at the table.

Suggestions and Variations: You can add a cup of coconut milk or heavy cream to give this soup extra richness and a nice velvety texture. The author adds a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro to it. If you want to make this into a substantial main course, saute a cut-up chicken in peanut oil, then simmer it in the soup for 15-20 minutes.

Source: Splendid Soups by James Peterson.

Shared and MM by Judi M. Phelps. jphelps@... or jphelps@...