Sweet Potato and Roasted Plantain Soup with Fried Plantain and Smoked Chile Crema

Glazed Plantains:
2 ripe plantains
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place plantain on a baking sheet and roast until skins are black and plantains are soft, remove and let cool. Peel and cut into chunks. Heat maple syrup over medium heat, add the roasted plantain and saute until caramelized. Remove with slotted spoon and place food processor and process until smooth.

Soup:
4 sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled and mashed
Pureed plantains
8 cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes, plantains and vegetable stock in a medium saucepan and cook for 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes. Place in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fried Plantains:
1 green plantain, peeled and julienned
2 cups canola oil
Salt

Heat oil to 365 degrees F. in a medium skillet. Add plantains in batches and cook until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt.

Smoked Chile Crema:
1 cup creme fraiche
2 teaspoons chipotle pepper puree
Salt

Combine creme fraiche and chipotle puree in a small bowl and season with salt

Assemble:
Cilantro leaves

Ladle soup into 8 bowls. Drizzle with smoked chile crema and garnish with fried plantains and cilantro leaves

Yield: 8 servings

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Copyright 1998 TV FOOD NETWORK, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Copyright 1999 Bobby Flay. All rights reserved.