Joan's Sweet Potato Stew

This recipe comes from Joan Bailey, former Frog Holler Farm intern now living in Japan :-(. Joan keeps us posted on local food, Japanese style, as well as green and conscious food initiatives around the globe. Check out her blog Popcorn Homestead.

This recipe is so tasty, doubling is strongly recommended. If not finished at first serving, you won't be sorry that you have leftovers!

Here are Joan's directions:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups (or one whole medium to large onion) chopped a bit coarsely
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger (without is ok, too, but it is a lovely addition)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2-3 medium to largeish peeled sweet potatoes, cubed
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 cups of orange juice
1 15 ounce can of black beans (2 is good, too) rinsed and drained
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in the soup pan, throw in the onion, and cook covered until the onion is well-cooked and soft. I find the longer I cook it (without burning it) the better. Throw in the garlic, ginger, and cumin, and cover again. Toss in the cubed sweet potatoes, stir, and add the orange juice. I tend to add orange juice until the mixture is covered and the sweet potato bits are swimming a little. Then I throw in the beans, and let it simmer along until the sweet potatoes are soft.

Editor's note: Optional alternative: Cook beans separately with bay leaf, or just hold off on adding the canned black beans. Follow other directions and when sweet potatoes are soft, use immersion blender to puree soup to desired level of homogeneity. Add black beans, adjust seasoning, add salt as desired, and simmer a bit longer.