"This is a delicious soup with a truly different taste and texture from any other soups I have eaten or made. It is nutritious and healthy for day-to-day eating and is also ideal for dinner parties. Be ready to be asked for the recipe! It reheats well, including in the microwave, and makes a great lunch to take to work. It also freezes well, so it's worth making a large quantity when you make it, so that you have some to freeze. Like most soup recipes it is easy to modify to suit your personal preferences. I first came across the basic recipe in two different Murdoch Books publications: Entertaining: Quick Short Recipes and Bowl Food: the new comfort food for people on the move. The first time I made it, the fresh pears at the greengrocers were not yet ripe and I was impatient to try the recipe! So I used canned pears (minus the pear juice, some of which I drank while making the soup). Because the soup was so delicious using the canned pears, I have continued to use them each time I have made this soup. As a garlic lover, I have so far refrained from adding garlic but with winter approaching - for those of us who are down under - I intend to add some next time I make this soup."

Ingredient :

• 1 ¹⁄₂tablespoons butter
• 2yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2pears, peeled,cored and diced or (15 ounce) cans pears, without juice
• 6 -8cups chicken broth or 6 -8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 -2cup white wine (optional)
• 1 -2cup Greek yogurt, to taste
• chopped of fresh mint or parsley, to garnish

Directions :

• Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat, and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until softened but not brown.
• Add the diced sweet potato and diced pear, and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
• If using canned pears, only sauté the diced sweet potato at this stage and add the pears later.
• Add the chicken broth to the pot, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potato (and pears) are soft.
• If including wine in your soup, add this in the last 10 minutes while the soup is simmering.
• Cool the soup for about 30 minutes.
• If using canned pears, drain these well, reserve the juice and add the pears now.
• They will help to cool down the soup.
• There is no need to chop the pears as the soup is about to be processed.
• In batches, process the chicken broth, sweet potatoes and pears until smooth in a blender or a food processor.
• Adjust the thickness of the soup so that it is to your liking by adding either more pears or some of the reserved pear juice, or more wine.
• Return the soup to the pot.
• If serving straight away: gently reheat, without bringing to the boil, stir in a swirl of yogurt and garnish with fresh mint or parsley.
• If serving later: refrigerate after processing.
• If taking to work for lunch: take the required quantity of yogurt in a separate container and spoon onto soup after it has been heated in the microwave.
• If freezing: freeze after processing.
• When ready to serve, defrost, gently reheat, without bringing to the boil, stir in a swirl of yogurt and garnish with fresh mint or parsley.