Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 tb Unsalted butter -- or
Margarine
2 tb Virgin olive oil
3 lg Leeks -- thinly sliced
1/4 c Minced shallots
1 lb Sweet potatoes -- peeled and
Diced
3 c Vegetable broth
1 tb Fresh sage -- minced
2 tb Fresh flat-leaf parsley --
Chopped
1 pn Red pepper -- dried or fresh
Hot
1 c Skim milk
1/2 c Shredded Monterey Jack
Cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL GARNISH:
Fresh parsley
Fresh nasturtium flowers
Fresh calendula petals
Pecan pieces
Shredded carrot
Bell pepper -- not green
Shallots

LEEKS: Use both the white and tender green parts. To make sure you
get all the soil out of the leeks, slice them in half lengthwise,
then take the leaves out one by one and wash thoroughly. Then
re-align to make slicing easier.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat, then
add the leeks and shallots and cook, stirring, until soft and
translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, broth (or
water and/or bouillon), sage, parsley, and hot pepper (1 small fresh
or dried hot red pepper or use flakes).

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the
potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the (whole) hot pepper, if using.

In a food processor or blender, puree the soup in batches. (Or use
immersion blender.)

Return to the saucepan and stir in the milk. Heat just to a simmer,
then stir in the cheese until melted, reserve some for garnish.
Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with
color garnishes.

Garnish: mix the white cheese with brown nuts and/or shallots and
sprinkle in the center. Surround that with green parsley. Or streak
parsley along one side and yellow/orange vegetation on the other.

Recipe By : Maggie Oster's Herb Garden (1993:38) NY: MacMillan

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