Sweet Potato and Celery Soup

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled

3 celery stalks

2 medium fresh tomatoes or 4 halves of slow-roasted tomatoes

1 large onion

1 bay leaf

a pinch of thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Leaves from one celery stalk

Method:

1. Slice the onion thinly. Chop the celery and tomatoes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot and sauté the vegetables in it.

3. Add salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the bay leaf.

4. Add water and cook for 30 minutes. When all the vegetables are tender, taste the soup and add salt if needed. Add the thyme. Cook another 5 minutes.

6. Remove 12 whole sweet potato slices and pieces of tomato from the soup and put aside. Cool the soup and blend it in the blender or food processor. If you have a stick blender, you can just turn off the flame and blend the soup right there in the pot.

7. Chop the celery leaves for garnish. Before serving, add 2 or 3 of the reserved sweet potato slices and a little of the tomato to each bowl. Scatter the chopped celery leaves over all and sit down to savor your soup.