Peanutty Vegetable Soup
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 45 minutes
M V
This soup is based on the colorful, chunky peanut (“groundnut”) dishes of Senegal. It’s filled with vegetables, and a bowlful topped with a scoop of simply cooked millet or almost any other grain easily makes a meal. If you’d prefer something creamy, try the variation.
- ¾ cup roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Pinch cayenne, or more or less to taste
- Salt and pepper
- 6 cups vegetable stock (pages 97–100) or water
- About 1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into thick slices
- 1 pound plum tomatoes, halved, or 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (drain and reserve the liquid for another use)
- 1 pound collards or kale, stems cut out and discarded, leaves cut across into wide ribbons
- ¼ cup chunky peanut butter
- Use the flat side of a wide knife or cleaver, or use a food processor, to break the peanuts into large pieces.
- Put the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ cup of the peanuts and the cayenne, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir for a minute. Add the stock, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender and the tomatoes break down, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in the collards and peanut butter. Cover and cook until the collards are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the remaining peanuts and serve.
Creamy Peanutty Vegetable Soup Like velvet: Omit the collards or kale. In Step 3, along with the peanut butter, stir in 1 cup coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot. Or let the soup cool a little, carefully purée it in a blender (working in batches if necessary), and return it to the pot. Reheat to a gentle bubble without boiling, taste and adjust the seasoning, and garnish with the remaining peanuts.