(recipe serves 8)

1/4 C of olive oil

  

4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 small yellow onions, diced
6-7 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
S & P

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

4-5 Pasilla chiles, torn into pieces, seeds and stems removed
2 Gala apples, peeled and chopped
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky pieces

 

2 cinnamon sticks, bundle with kitchen twine
4 bay leaves
4-5 whole cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 heaping teaspoon of chipotle puree
2 t salt

8 C chicken stock
1 C orange juice

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil, carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Do not stir. Allow the vegetable mixture to caramelize over medium high heat before stirring. A LITTLE BIT OF PAN STICKING IS GOOD. You can smell the caramelization occur. Continue to cook vegetables allowing for a generous browning. Adjust heat down if burning begins to occur. Adding salt to the mixture will extract water from the vegetables. You want to continue to cook the aromatics until the water evaporates and browning occurs.

Add cider vinegar. Scrape up pan bits. Add 4 C of stock. Add chiles, apples, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, red pepper flakes, chipotle puree and salt.
Mix well. Add remaining 4 C of stock and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to medium low. Simmer until potatoes, apples and chiles are tender. YOUR HOUSE WILL SMELL FANTASTIC 😉

Remove from heat. Allow soup to cool before placing in the refrigerator, uncovered, for overnight magic!

The next day, remove soup and puree. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Place soup back into a pan for reheating. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If consistency is too thick, add an additional amount of stock.

Garnish with orange creme fraiche, pumpkin seeds and golden raisins. A chili corn chip makes a nice garnish.

 

For chips: Lightly brush each side of the tortilla with olive oil. Sprinkle chili powder and Kosher salt on one side. Cut tortilla in half and place on a cookie sheet. Place into a preheated 375 degree oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure your chili powder is not too old. Fresh  chili powder is the ticket for full flavor.