Chad and I went to Umai for dinner recently, and we had a wonderful meal. Mine began with a bowl of curried apple soup, and I then became obsessed with making it at home. The soup at Umai was a delicate, almost sweet concoction that tasted a bit of apple cider. It was a perfect start to my dinner, but I craved something heartier when I aproached my spice cabinet at home. For this soup, I used a madras curry that packs a lot of heat. If your curry is not hot, that's fine. It's a matter of personal preference. If your curry is not hot and you still want to add heat, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to this recipe to achieve it. It's 32 degrees in Memphis right now, and I can't think of a better way to defrost than to cozy up to a hot bowl of this spicy, hearty, healthy soup. Enjoy!
Curried Apple Soup
Serves Four
2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 gala apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon
1 c chopped potatoes
1/2 t salt
10 grinds pepper
2 t madras curry
1 bay leaf
2 c water
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and celery and saute over medium heat until softened, about five minutes. Add the apples and potatoes and saute another three minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and the curry powder, and add the bay leaf and liquids. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about ten minutes. Puree with a hand blender until the soup reaches the desired consistency- slightly thinner than baby food. Garnish with a generous little pile of shavings of parmigianno and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Comments