Sweet Potato Leek Soup w/ Parsley Oil

by Kiran on November 9, 2012 · 49 comments

in Sides, Soups, Vegetarian

I‘ve been asked numerous times, “why do I choose to blog?” What is it that is so satisfying about blogging? There’s no monetary (or very little) reward in comparison to the total time and overall investment when it comes to blogging.

Yet, why do we do it?

Some people don’t really get it, but I love blogging because of “community effort“. I love our blogging community so much! It’s just one of those times where we always seem to come together as a community.

And this time, we are coming together for you — devastated by Sandy.

Support for Sandy is a food blogging event to help the victims of hurricane Sandy — an initiative by blogging friends, Barbara and Jenn.

There’s nothing like a blogging community — that comes together during tough times — encouraging others to make a difference to those affected by Sandy’s devastation. Something as simple as sharing a comfort food with readers, urging them to make a donation, no matter how small — can change one’s life.

And today, I’m here to help spread this important message. To help make a difference in someone’s life.

It breaks my heart with the devastation that is going on in people’s life impacted by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. There’s a lot you can do with whatever little you may have to contribute.

So many are out of power, food, personal belongings and most importantly — a home.

With the holiday season upon us, the greatest gift you can give is to make a person’s life a little better.

If you are blogger, help spread this important message by posting a comfort food recipe, share it on Twitter and Facebook using hashtag #FBS4Sandy to encourage everyone to contribute.

If you are not a blogger and want to help, here’s how you can make a difference:

  • American Red Cross is providing food, shelter, and other forms of support to hurricane victims. You can donate directly to the Red Cross or you can also text the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
  • The Salvation Army is also focused on providing food, shelter, and support to victims, and takes donations for storm relief.
  • Feeding America is providing food, water and supplies to those who need it as part of their disaster relief program.
You could also contact your local Red Cross for free pick-up of canned foods, clothings, books etc. Anything that can help build a victims life. If you are in doubt, ask them if the donations would be used in Support for Sandy.

 

Please join us in sending a message of comfort and calling for donations to help those in such need.

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 leek, sliced and washed thoroughly to remove any grit
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes, chopped to bite size
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp saffron
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 3 cups low sodium organic vegetable broth
  • 3/4 tsp salt

Parsley Oil

  • Some hot water
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
Optional garnish: A drizzle of yogurt & some fresh micro-greens.

 

Directions:

  1. Heat a pot on medium. Once heated, add extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Saute sliced leeks and chopped sweet potatoes until leeks are tender and translucent. This would take 3 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle in black pepper, saffron and star anise. Saute for a minute.
  4. Add low sodium vegetable broth. Stir and taste for seasoning. If needed, add salt.
  5. Cover to gently simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. While soup simmers, make parsley oil.
  7. Prepare ice bath.
  8. Place fresh parsley leaves in a colander. Top it with hot water and “shock it” immediately in an ice bath.
  9. Remove parsley leaves from ice bath and pat it with kitchen towels to completely dry.
  10. In a small blender, add parsley leaves, lemon juice, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Blend until all ingredients are finely blended. Remove parsley oil in a small bowl.
  11. Soup is ready when sweet potatoes are cooked through. Remove whole star anise. Using a hand blender, blend soup until completely smooth.
  12. Serve hot with a drizzle of parsley oil, some yogurt and micro-greens as garnish.

Note: You can freeze the remainder of parsley oil in an ice cube tray and use it in soups or stews!


If you have done your part, your civic duty as a society — please know how grateful we are for your contribution. And I’m sure those affected by Sandy would be even more thankful for your help.

Please also know that our thoughts and prayers goes out to you and your family, who were directly or indirectly affected by Hurricane Sandy. It’s a long and slow healing process — but we are here — sending you loads of virtual hugs.

God bless.

 

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Comments on this entry are closed.

1 Kathryn November 9, 2012 at 2:36 PM

Such a worthy cause and this looks like such a comforting bowl.
Kathryn recently posted..pistachio, dark chocolate & olive oil muffins

2 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 6:00 PM

Kathryn — thank you so much. Every bit of help makes a difference, especially with all the unfortunate victims of Sandy.

3 Rosa November 9, 2012 at 2:39 PM

Beautiful, comforting and surely really tasty! That is the kind of soup which one wants to eat when it’s cold outside…

Cheers,

Rosa

4 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 6:03 PM

Rosa — thanks my dear 🙂

5 Jenn November 9, 2012 at 2:57 PM

Wow this soup looks gorgeous! Thank you so much for joining in and helping call for donations for hurricane relief!
Jenn recently posted..Announcing DMBLGIT – November 2012

6 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 7:27 PM

Jenn — thank you so much for raising the awareness 🙂

7 kitchen queen November 9, 2012 at 3:59 PM

comfort food in bowl. lovely.
kitchen queen recently posted..Mango Rabdi

8 Alyssa (Everyday Maven) November 9, 2012 at 5:44 PM

Such a great post Kiran!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) recently posted..Beef Chow Fun

9 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 7:27 PM

Alyssa — thanks my friend 🙂

10 fabiola@notjustbaked November 9, 2012 at 6:15 PM

Thank you for this post. I will contribute with next week turkey day posts and add this. I am sick again, so I can’t make anything at the moment. Otherwise you would find me in the kitchen whipping up a comfort dish for this right now.
fabiola@notjustbaked recently posted..A Day at the Farm on Farm Day, Naturally

11 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 7:51 PM

Fabiola — I’m so sorry you are not feeling well. I hope you feel better soon. Please take care. xoxo

12 Nami | Just One Cookbook November 9, 2012 at 6:16 PM

What a wonderful way to support, and I just realized that I’ve never made soup with sweet potato (my favorite!) before!!! Cooking with leek sounds so perfect. Would love to try this one!
Nami | Just One Cookbook recently posted..Chicken Katsu チキンカツ

13 the wicked noodle November 9, 2012 at 6:46 PM

Gorgeous photos as always!
the wicked noodle recently posted..steak & poblano chili

14 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 7:54 PM

Kristy — thank you my friend 🙂

15 saigeetha November 9, 2012 at 9:39 PM

Just love your blog Kiran 🙂
saigeetha recently posted..Gnocchi with Alfredo sauce

16 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 8:01 PM

Saigeetha — thank you so so much, my friend 🙂

17 amy @ fearless homemaker November 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM

I love how quickly the food blogging community comes together to help + support others. One of the many reasons that I’m so proud to be part of this group! =) And this soup looks absolutely wonderful – a perfect comfort food to me!
amy @ fearless homemaker recently posted..Lightened-Up Fettuccine Alfredo

18 Ashley - Baker by Nature November 10, 2012 at 10:18 AM

I couldn’t agree with what you’ve written in this post more!
Ashley – Baker by Nature recently posted..Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

19 Choc Chip Uru November 10, 2012 at 1:28 PM

Beautifully expressed post my friend with indeed a very comforting recipe 🙂
Our hearts go out!

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Choc Chip Uru recently posted..Ma’s Birthday 2012 + CCU Undercover: Castle Taj

20 The Squishy Monster November 10, 2012 at 2:48 PM

What a lovely soup! Infused oils are always so dangerous for me bc I like to douse it on everything, lol!
The Squishy Monster recently posted..Craving Heat?

21 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 8:09 PM

TSM — lol, I’d give you the permission to make this parsley oil and douse it as much as possible on everything. It’ll add so much flavor to everything without adding calories 😉

22 Asmita November 10, 2012 at 7:11 PM

What a great way to show support. This soup looks very comforting!

23 Laura (Tutti Dolci) November 10, 2012 at 7:13 PM

I love sweet potatoes – what a scrumptious soup for a wonderful cause!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..almond-orange cake

24 Charul @ Tadka Masala November 10, 2012 at 10:14 PM

I agree blogging is much more than anything monetary. It gives a sense of satisfaction to me, it is my stress free zone. And with this kind of initiatives it is all the more closer to my heart.
Not much of a fan of leek but loved the color of this soup and it sure does look comforting.
Charul @ Tadka Masala recently posted..Gujhiya

25 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 8:12 PM

Charul — leeks adds a very subtle “oniony” flavor to the overall soup. You can definitely sub leeks for shallots.

26 Raymund November 11, 2012 at 3:21 AM

Really nice post! I also agree its not about the money, its the satisfaction you give to your readers as well as the community
Raymund recently posted..Cocido Madrileño

27 Maureen | Orgasmic Chef November 11, 2012 at 4:20 AM

Beautiful soup!! It felt good to make some soup for a good cause and to donate just a bit to help.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef recently posted..Bread Pudding

28 Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb November 11, 2012 at 8:31 AM

Oh love the soup ingredients, I finally got the time to organize the spices in my home, and I found the long lost star anis in between. Really about time that I try out your star anis flavors recipes, I still don’t have the hang for this spice. Love the addition of Parsley oil and I am wondering what it might taste like.
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb recently posted..Comment on Carrot cake and a GIVEAWAY by Balvinder

29 Kiran November 15, 2012 at 9:02 PM

Helene — thank you!

Star anise is best used in curries for the very first time to sort of, gauge the flavors. It has a subtle anisey flavor 🙂

30 Parsley Sage November 11, 2012 at 9:10 AM

Some people just don’t get it 😉 This is a great comfort dish for an incredibly worthy cause. I’ve got a lot of friends that still haven’t been able to get home yet.
Parsley Sage recently posted..Dive Fries

31 Nik November 11, 2012 at 10:02 AM

That is wonderful Kiran, this a good cause and you are helping a lot of people. The soup looks hearty and delicious especially in this cold weather!
Nik recently posted..low-fat carrot halva

32 Deb November 11, 2012 at 3:32 PM

The devastation from Sandy is just unimaginable. A bowl of your scrumptious sweet potato leek soup is just the type of comfort food that we are all craving after the hurricane. A lovely post!

33 Cass @foodmyfriend November 11, 2012 at 5:40 PM

This is such a great message Kiran. Your soup looks amazing 🙂
Cass @foodmyfriend recently posted..Brown Buttered Lentils with Hazelnut Dukkah and Lemon Olive Oil

34 Dixya @ Food, Pleasure and Health November 12, 2012 at 10:03 AM

I cannot agree more with you Kiran. I love to blog because it makes me part of this community, share my experiences with food, meet people from all over the world and learn so much everyday. It does not matter if there is monetary compensation, lots of readers or followers on the blog, its all about sense of belonging and interacting, learning and helping during times like this.

35 Carolyn Chan November 12, 2012 at 11:08 AM

What a great cause and creating any sense of community in this world is such a strong motivation. I am so saddened by the impact of Sandy – it proves that we really have no power over Mother Nature but every little bit of comfort we can share can only be a good thing.
Carolyn Chan recently posted..Fresh egg pasta

36 Katerina November 12, 2012 at 12:04 PM

This is such a noble cause Kiran and the soup is absilutely perfect for this time of the year! My thoughts are with those people who suffer the consequences of Sandy!
Katerina recently posted..Orange-Flavored and Spiced Up Honey Mug Cakes

37 Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies November 12, 2012 at 2:42 PM

What a beautiful soup–I love the addition of parsley oil! I have a lot of friends in the NE and the devastation that Sandy caused is unbelievable. This is definitely a good cause to support!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies recently posted..Recipe | Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings

38 Kitchen Belleicious November 12, 2012 at 3:50 PM

i am loving the parsley oil with the soup. It adds a new dimension of flavor instead of just chopping up the parsley and throwing it in! great recipe
Kitchen Belleicious recently posted..Pumpkin Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Shrimp + Tate Bake Shop Giveaway!

39 Jackie @ Domestic Fits November 12, 2012 at 7:19 PM

Such a great post! It’s way to easy to take the “small things” for granted until we lose them and They they seem anything but small. I can’t believe that some people are still without power, completely heartbreaking. Wish there was more I could do!
Jackie @ Domestic Fits recently posted..California Strawberries Pin to Win Contest

40 Juliana November 12, 2012 at 8:40 PM

Wow, your sweet potato soup looks delicious…and yes the parsley oil sounds perfect with it. Beautiful pictures as always Kiran.
Have a great week 🙂
Juliana recently posted..Pork with Dry Pressed Tofu and Green Beans

41 Simply Life November 12, 2012 at 8:54 PM

thanks so much for this post and encouraging and inspiring us to help!
Simply Life recently posted..My New Lunch Bag {GIVEAWAY!}

42 Jamie November 13, 2012 at 5:09 AM

I so agree with your sentiments, Kiran. I love the community and am always amazed at what we can all do together. Beautiful soup, so perfect for offering comfort… I love sweet potatoes but don’t often think of making them into soup. Now I will.

43 Jen L | Tartine and Apron Strings November 14, 2012 at 12:50 AM

This has got to be one of the most beautiful soups and soup presentation I’ve seen! Ummm, have I said that before already?? I probably have…because your posts are so light, airy, and delightful!

I share the same sentiments about blogging, Kiran. Just look at this wonderful group of bloggers coming together to support a community in need! Great job!
Jen L | Tartine and Apron Strings recently posted..Curried Shrimps with Yuzu-Scented Turmeric Rice

44 Nava Krishnan November 14, 2012 at 6:25 AM

Sad how natural disasters can cause so much of pain to people. Been reading and watching on TV on Sandy. We are also having massive rain and some part of our country is getting flooded but still under control.

Btw, this soup is all the way my kind of food, that comfort food for the rainy weather and my other half loves such soup very much.
Nava Krishnan recently posted..Batter Fried Dory Fish With Ginger Lemongrass Sauce

45 Kari@Loaves n Dishes November 14, 2012 at 10:45 AM

I just discovered you from Cass at Food is my Friend. Your recipes and photos are terrific! I love the saffron and star anise is this beautiful soup.
Kari@Loaves n Dishes recently posted..ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

46 Barbara | Creative Culinary November 18, 2012 at 10:10 AM

Kiran…thanks for joining this effort; I have heard from so many that have been touched by the support shown to them by the food blogging community; I’m sure we all just wish we could actually deliver our comfort food.

I have some sweet potatoes and this soup is calling my name; it sounds delicious and looks lovely.
Barbara | Creative Culinary recently posted..Jalapeno Margarita

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