Sweet Potato & Caraway Soup with Argan Oil

I've translated this recipe from the original Dutch recipe, as featured in the Morocco section of Arabia by Merijn Tol and Nadia Zerouali. I love the sunny orange color, spiked with the verdant green of the fava beans and soft white clouds of goat's cheese. Most Turkish, Moroccan or Middle Eastern food shops should stock soft goat's cheese, which is similar in texture to feta cheese. However, you could use chevre instead. Argan oil, which is drizzled on top, is a delicious nutty oil from Morocco, reputed to have anti-ageing qualities.

• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 1 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds
• 4 (orange) sweet potatoes
• 1 (lamb) stock cube
• 1 cup shelled fava beans/broad beans (100 g)
• 5.30 oz soft goat's cheese/chevre (150 g)
• Argan oil
• Salt & pepper

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat some olive oil in a large soup pot over a low heat, and fry the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes.

In a pestle and mortar, crush 1 tbsp caraway seeds, and add to the onion mix. Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potatoes and add to the pot, along with 3 pints of water (1.5 l) and the stock cube. Turn up the heat a bit and simmer the soup for 15 minutes (or until the sweet potato is tender). Now puree using a stick blender (or decant into a food processor or blender).

Blanch the fava beans in salted boiling water for 1 minute and then rinse in cold water. Now peel the seeds from their opaque skins: simply press with your thumb and forefinger and they'll pop right out.

Serve soup with the twice-shelled fava beans, some crumbled goat's cheese (chevre) and a drizzle of argan oil. Sprinkle some caraway seeds on top, along with salt & pepper, to taste. Delicious with crunchy bread.

Tips:

If you dont have a pestle and mortar, simply crush the caraway seeds in a freezer bag, using a rolling pin.

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