Sweet Potato Soup with Maple Syrup and Maple Sage Cream…and a Giveaway

This week I'm focusing on maple syrup. Its sweet, earthy taste cannot be replaced with Aunt Jemima or corn syrup or Lyle's. It's unique. The sap that comes out of the maple tree is clear, tasteless, but after hours and hours of boiling, it gets that distinct golden color and maple flavor. According to this article, the sap that's gathered must be boiled the same day since it deteriorates quickly. This is yet another reason why it's so special.

Back in October, I wrote about my Pumpkin Chai Tart and mentioned the Maple Sugar I used in the recipe. Alain from Brien Fine Maple Products contacted me to find out where I had purchased their maple sugar (Farm Boy in Ottawa). In February, he sent along some maple sugar products for me to try. These products are made about 1½ hours outside of Montreal (only 3½ hours from Ottawa) in Sainte-anne-de-la-rochelle, Quebec in a modernized cabane à sucre (sugar shack). Since the package arrived, I've emptied the maple syrup, devoured the maple candies, and played around with the other ingredients (more posts to come).

Last week, I asked the foodies on Twitter for some of their favorite recipes that use maple syrup. I received several links to recipes and have made some of them. The first recipe was this sweet potato soup sent to me by @AuthenticCoast.

This soup recipe comes from Executive Chef Shaun Zwarun of DesBarres Manor Inn, an 1837 luxury historic inn in the seacoast village of Guysborough, Nova Scotia. DesBarres Manor Inn was the Winner of the 2008 Nova Scotia Cuisine of the Year Award where Chef Zwarun uses local and fresh ingredients in his kitchen. 

Recipe

Recipe for soup from DesBarres Manor in Nova Scotia

Recipe for maple sage cream from Inn on the Twenty cookbook

Serves 8

For the Soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup yellow onion, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 pounds sweet potato, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons brandy or cognac
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chives, chopped, for garnish

For the Maple Sage Cream:
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, celery, and onion until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and sweet potatoes and bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 1 hour). Purée the soup using a hand blender or food processor. Add the maple syrup, nutmeg, cream, and brandy or cognac. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the maple sage cream, whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold in maple syrup and sage. Spoon onto soup before serving and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Tasting Notes
Due to the blend of maple syrup, cognac, and nutmeg, the soup has a complex flavor. The sweetness from the maple syrup and sweet potatoes combines with the herbal overtones from the cognac and the hint of spice from the nutmeg. The maple sage cream is so delicious that you'll want more soup just to have more cream.

Other Sweet Potato Soups
• Elise from Simply Recipes: Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
• New York Times: Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup