Curried sweet potato soup

Directions

1. Bake your potatoes in the oven until they're almost finished (not too soft, but peel-able).
2. When your potatoes are cooked, pop them out of the oven to peel. You should be able to pull the skin right off of the yams. I left the skins on the yukon golds to add a bit of nice texture to the soup. Cut the potatoes into large pieces.
3. While you're working on the potatoes, place chopped onion, bay leaf, thyme, tarragon leaves, curry, olive oil and salt and pepper in a very large pot or dutch oven.
4. When the onions are translucent, drop the potatoes into the pot along with enough vegetable broth to barely cover them, stir. Season at this step again with salt and pepper.
5. Let all ingredients simmer until the potatoes are very soft and the flavors have married - probably 45 minutes. While soup is simmering, chop chives and grate gouda cheese for garnish.
6. Pull the bay leaf from the pot, discard and turn the heat to low. Get out your immersion blender and blend away to your desired consistency. Keep adding the remaining vegetable broth to thin out the soup, as needed.
7. Add your desired amount of heavy cream and blend once more. Season as needed.
8. Swirl kosher salt and a pinch of curry into sour cream (or creme fraiche). Top each bowl of hot soup with a dollop of cream, chives and grated cheese.