Tidewater Peanut Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter or bacon drippings (I prefer the latter)
- 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 large celery rib, trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped, or ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon crumbled leaf thyme
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup firmly packed creamy-style peanut butter
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry, tawny
- ¾ cup firmly packed sour cream beaten until smooth with ¼ cup milk (topping)
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives (garnish)
Instructions:
Peanut soup, it’s said, was one of George Washington’s favorites, not surprising given the fact that Mount Vernon was in Tidewater Virginia.
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy, nonreactive saucepan over moderately high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
- Add the tomato, thyme, nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne; reduce the heat to moderate and cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the broth and peanut butter and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Set off the heat and cool for 15 minutes.
- Purée the mixture in two batches in a food processor or electric blender until smooth. Return to the saucepan, add the milk and half-and-half, set over moderate heat, and bring just to serving temperature, stirring often. Remove from the heat, stir in the sherry, then taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
- Serve hot, topping each portion with a drift of the sour cream mixture and a scattering of chives. Or, if you prefer, chill well and serve cold.