Yucatán Yam Picante

I like making this soup with garnet yams; besides their bright orange color, yams are sweeter and less mealy than sweet potatoes. (You can use sweet potatoes, though the soup will be lighter in color.) The creamy sweetness of the coconut milk counters the intense spices. Crushed red pepper lends this soup a nice amount of heat: You’ll taste it and feel it—it has to live up to its name, after all—but it’s not overpowering. This soup is the perfect beginning to a festive gathering: Serve it in small cups or shooters. Serves 10 to 12 (makes about 12 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

2 pounds garnet yams or red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled

8 cups water

1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk

2 teaspoons dried basil

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, and crushed red pepper and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the celery, bell peppers, and the 2 teaspoons salt and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 12 minutes. Cut three-fourths of the yams into about 1-inch chunks and add them to the soup.

Stir in the water, coconut milk, and basil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the yams are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until it is smooth. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cut the remaining one-fourth of the yams into ½ -inch cubes and add them to the pureed soup. Simmer until the yams are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

The soup will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated, or for 1 month frozen. To rewarm, bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding water to thin the soup to the desired consistency.

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