The marriage of sweet-potato and lemongrass

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Sep 24th 2007 @ 1:20PM

I often clip recipes out of the newspaper, but frequently they just get heaped onto the big pile that represents my To-Do list and forgotten. However, a couple of days ago I found myself standing in my kitchen, looking a three-pound bag of sweet potatoes and lemongrass that I had bought on a whim and realized that I had clipped the perfect recipe for those items not two weeks before.

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently ran an article about Ellen Yin, the owner of Fork, a restaurant that helped revitalize the Old City neighborhood of Philly. She's publishing a cookbook/memoir in honor of the restaurant's 10th anniversary. They ran several of her recipes along side the article, including one for Sweet-Potato Lemongrass Soup, perfect for my random ingredients. It turned out a really silky soup (although I think I would reduce the amount of water just slightly, as I like my pureed veggie soups a little thicker) that starts out tasty and gets better over time. It's a terrific recipe for fall, when you want something warm and soft, colored with the hues of fall (the recipe is after the jump).

Sweet-Potato Lemongrass Soup
Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 (2-inch) piece gingerroot, peeled and minced (I grated mine on a microplane, worked perfectly)
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced (I used a press because it's easier)
3 pounds of sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
7 cups of water, approximate (I would go closer to 6 at first, but that's just me)
10 stalks lemongrass, outer dry leaves removed and bulblike base crushed
7 ounces coconut milk (can use light)
Salk and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chives for garnish

1. In large, heavy sauceot, heat the oil medium-hot and saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, jalapeno and garlic and saute 2 minutes more.
2. Add the sweet potato and water. It should be just enough water to cover the sweet potatoes.
3. Tie the lemongrass stalks together with string and put the bulb/base ends into the soup. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the potatoes break apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Discard the lemongrass stalks. Puree the soup in batches using a food processor or immersion blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve. Stir in coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.

-From Forklore by Ellen Yin

Filed Under: Newspapers, Ingredients
Tags: Ellen Yin, Fork Restaurant, Forklore, lemongrass, Philadelphia Inquirer, soup, sweet potato, vegetables

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-25-2007 @10:12PM shelterpaw said... Looks like a yum recipe, but how would you describe the taste? Reason for asking is I'm not a sweet potato fan, but everyone tells me they're good for you. Lemongrass is great.
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9-25-2007 @10:12PM Marisa McClellan said... If you don't like sweet potatoes, you probably won't like this soup, as it does have a strong sweet potato taste.
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