Soup is my favorite thing to make.
If I could have been a professional soup maker instead of a professional baker… this blog would have been called something.. well, you know.
I love making soup.
I just stand in front of the stove and stir. And stir. And stir. And completely space out. Stir again. Think some thoughts. Stir. Taste. Stir.
It’s the best. It’s like taking too long a shower and accidentally washing you hair three and a half times.
Soup is best with biscuits. Really.. I’ll find any excuse to put a biscuit in my face.
These biscuits are made with both butter and goat cheese. Goat cheese!! In the dang biscuit!
The result is a tender, slightly tangy, dream boat biscuit situation.
These are the best drop biscuits to ever happen, anywhere… ever.
They’re so easy. Make them. You’ll understand.
Let me tell you about this soup.
It’s called Curried Sweet Potato Soup, but it’s not really curry-y. It’s packed with some really lovely flavors: coriander, cumin and ginger… and of course loads of sweet potato. Goat cheese crumbles on top really balance out the whole bowl.
This soup and biscuit combination is absolutely one of my favorite fall discoveries. It’s so warm, flavorful and delicious. Please make it happen in your kitchen.
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
from The Essential New York Times Cookbook
serves 6 to 8
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
6 cups chicken broth, or slightly more as needed.
salt and pepper to taste
6 to 8 teaspoons goat cheese
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and red pepper flakes. Add the sweet potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
Puree the soup, in batches in a blender or food processor. Season to taste. The soup can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Reheat over a low flame. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock.
Ladle into bowls and crumble goat cheese on top.
Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits
makes about 9 biscuits
adapted slightly from Art Smith’s Table Fifty-Two
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the pan
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted to top the biscuits
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup buttermilk
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With your fingers incorporate the butter and goat cheese until the flour resembles a coarse, pebbly mixture. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. With a fork, mix together the buttermilk and flour until all of the dry flour disappears.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan or in the microwave. Set aside.
Remove the cast iron from the oven and place one tablespoon of butter in it. Work the pat of butter around, greasing the entire pan, including the sides.
Spoon the batter, by the 1/4-cup into the hot skillet. I used a big scooper to do the job. The biscuits will touch when baked… that’s ok.
Brush with melted butter.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until slightly golden in color. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
MrsDragon
Soooo, for those of us with very bare spice cabinets…any cheats to avoid buying 5 jars of spices? Or is that sacralige?
Tori
Find a health food store with a good bulk spice section and buy little bits of spices. It’s tons of fun, and can be absurdly affordable. I went into one recently to get a selection of mulling spices and walked out with more than enough cinnamon sticks, star anise, lemon peel, new cardamom pods (mine are terribly old), and allspice for like $2.
Rose
You & your recipes (especially this one) are a gift from God.
Kocinera
Goat cheese biscuits?! Oh dear. Just when I thought that biscuits couldn’t get any better, just when I thought that I had a chance at resisting them, you had to go and add goat cheese. I will never be able to escape this delicious, doughy treat.
Meredith
Oooohhhh butter AND goat cheese in biscuits,swoon. This is screamin’ a impromptu fall Sunday lunch, now to call my friends. Thanks so much for the menu!
Michelle
Hi Joy,
Question? This recipe looks delicious but is there a special reason you went with chicken broth instead of veggie broth? I like to keep my veggie soups vegetarian so I’m planning to buy veggie broth but wondered if I’m missing something special on the whole chicken broth thing (savory flavor?). Great recipe & great blog.
joythebaker
you can totally go with vegetable broth. i just have a really strong affection for chicken broth.
jenna laughs
I love love love goat cheese… Never thought to put it in biscuits. Brilliant, Joy!
Katie@cozydelicious
Oooh I love the idea of goat cheese in biscuits! You get the tangy oomph of buttermilk and awesome texture all at once. Yum!
Katryn@rampantcuisine
This whole meal looks magical…so many great flavors! I love pretty much anything involving sweet potato…
Gen
I just love soup. And goat cheese too! What I like is pealing and choping the vegs before cooking them into a soup! And I still love your plate; it’s like the lucky object to your blog!
Cathy B. @ Bright Bakes
I have a soup obsession too! Also a sweet potato and winter squash obsession. This is on the List!
love,
cathy b. @ brightbakes
Kaitlin With Honey
I threw these recipes into my “must make” folder before I even read the whole post. These both look incredible!
Jessica @ bake me away!
Yum! One of my friends made a sweet and spicy butternut squash soup that sounds similar to this, and I loved it. I think I’m a bit challenged when it comes to chopping butternut, so thanks for this recipe! :)
Monica
Can’t wait – soup and biscuits! Perfect thing to do with the slim pickings from farmers market, add a little swiss chard on the side and I am all set!
laura @ a little barefoot blog
soup is my favorite thing to make, too. and sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. paired with goat cheese biscuits?? this whole meal speaks to me. and it says beautiful beautiful things.