Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

The following is adapted from an Emeril recipe, courtesy of www.planetgreen.com, and it's perfect for a chilly fall evening! A few of us are still getting Roma tomatoes in our shares, but if you don't have them on hand you always can substitute with canned tomatoes.

Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1½ pounds sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons peanut oil
8 each Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup onions, julienned
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ to ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter (depending on preference)
1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 quart vegetable broth
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped, roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and roast in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the potatoes and discard the skins. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.
3. Place the tomatoes in a small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until the skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, discard the skins, and set the tomatoes aside until ready to use. (Disregard this step if you are using canned tomatoes.)
4. Set a 4 quart stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
5. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to the pot. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, and vegetable stock to the pot and stir to blend. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Blend in batches until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve hot.