Oh so sweet-potato and asparagus soup

My asparagus binge continues.  I'm in asparagus heaven.

This soup is not stoppable.  I almost ate the whole pot in one sitting.  But feelings of guilt were not TOO strong,  because this delectable soup is only made with vegetables, and a little bit of butter and olive oil.

Did I just mention the butter??   The leeks sauteed in butter are sweet and almost caramalized and that tantalizing mix of butter-leek begins this venture of this soup.  I could have stopped right there with the butter-leeks, but I followed the reicpe, and you should too... it is so worth it.  YUM

OH SO SWEET-Potato and Asparagus Soup

From Kitchen Confidante

(Her blog is amazing... Please check it out!)

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus, stalks sliced into 1 inch pieces ( I didn't slice them, just chopped the tips off at the end of roasting and then pureed the long stalks with the sweet potatoes)

1 sweet potato, cut in 2 inch chunks (a regular potato will work too)

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter (devine)

1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and sliced

3 cups low sodium chicken broth (I had run out of chicken stock, so used beef... it still tasted great)

1/2 teaspoon curry powder (this, I think, may be the key to the whole recipe)

Creme fraiche, for garnish (I used greek yogurt, it is all I had on hand.  It worked)

Directions: (here is what I did)...

"Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the asparagus, sweet potato and garlic cloves in olive oil and spread it out on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the asparagus and sweet potatoes are just fork tender. Remove from oven and reserve asparagus tips. Peel the skin from the sweet potatoes and garlic cloves and discard.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat and add the leeks and the roasted garlic. Cook until the leeks are transparent. Add the asparagus stalks and sweet potatoes, along with the chicken broth and curry powder. Bring to a low boil, then place in a blender, working in batches if necessary. Blend the soup and return the puree to the saucepan and reheat the soup, adding the reserved asparagus tips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with creme fraiche, if desired."  All from Kitchen Confidante. She's good!  Oh-so-good!