A Really Nutty Idea

What on earth could be bad about a recipe for African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup? Nothing much; but, if you’re like the Sunday Sommeliers, having extra peanuts and peanut butter in the kitchen cabinets can be a dangerous idea…

Your Sunday Sommeliers were intrigued enough by the combination of sweet potato and peanuts in this decadent-sounding soup to take the risk. Plus, it was a great excuse to pull out the amazing multipurpose Cuisinart machine (this particular beauty does triple duty as a blender, mini food processor, and super-charged whisk – how awesome are wedding gifts?). Ed Note: This thing no longer seems quite as awesome after Mrs. Sommelier nearly chopped her finger off with it…

In the end, the risk paid off. This is a yummy, if a bit bland, recipe. If you try this recipe at home, use a really heavy hand on the spices (and use extra peanut butter to thicken it up a bit). If we were to make the recipe again, Mrs. Sommelier would want to try adding the peanuts after the rest of the ingredients are pureed (to add a touch of texture).

We paired dinner with an underwhelming Riesling. We made the pairing because, honestly, it was what we had chilled. If we try this recipe again, we’d pair it with a slightly smoother bodied, fruity (but less sweet) varietal … maybe a Pinot Gris.

Oh, and by the way, if you think maybe taking a heaping spoon-full of peanut butter,  topping it with raisins and peanuts, and putting it in your mouth sounds like a tasty idea…Mrs. Sommelier says you’re right.

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