Meatless Monday: Vegan Sweet Potato Chipotle Bisque with Cilantro Oil

While it's true the clocks and the calendar have "sprung ahead," there remains a wintry chill in the air. We figure we have a couple more chances to create soup recipes before soup season is "over." This warm and satisfying bisque is a treat with no dairy and very little fat. It makes a striking statement of flavor when accompanied with fresh, springy cilantro oil. We recently served this at a party in stylish shot glasses to the amusement of our friends who loved the "soup shots!" concept.

For the Bisque:

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and rough chopped

2 large yellow onions, rough chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 quarts water or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

Salt and white pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, place sweet potatoes, onions and garlic. Cover with water or stock, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and allow potatoes to cook until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add cinnamon, cumin and chipotle pepper. Puree with an immersion blender, a regular blender or food processor. (Note: If you use a regular blender or food processor, beware not to fill the blender to the top with hot soup, as that heat could cause the lid to blow off and splatter hot soup all over you and the kitchen. Therefore, it is best to work in batches, 1/2 a blender at a time and hold the lid down). Season the soup to taste, with salt and white pepper. If the soup is too thick, add more hot water to achieve desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon. Serve in a bowl topped with a drizzle of cilantro oil (recipe below).

For the Cilantro Oil:

Ingredients:

1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves, rinsed and free of dirt

1 clove of garlic

1 cup light olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. As the oil sits, it may separate, with the cilantro going to the bottom. If this happens, just shake it up. Place in squeeze bottle or just drizzle with a spoon on top of the soup.