Cream of Peanut Soup

Inspired by The Flavor of the South cookbook

One of the most iconic hotels in Richmond is The Jefferson Hotel. When my kids where young, my mom would take them there on Sundays for its famous brunch on special occasions. My mom loved the brunch, which at the time was an opulent display of every kind of breakfast and lunch food you can think of. My son’s favorite thing to eat was the peanut soup, and The Jefferson made a delicious, creamy — with a hint of spicy — peanut soup.

When I made this recipe, I asked my son to give me his thoughts. He said he liked the balance between its creaminess and sweet peanut flavor. He thought that it was very similar to The Jefferson’s peanut soup but wished it was a little spicier. So, if you like a little more spice in the peanut soup, you can add 1/2 of a fresh jalapeño, seeded and chopped with onions and celery.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ghee

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 2 ribs celery, chopped

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• Salt and pepper

Yields: serving for 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Method:

1. In a Dutch oven, melt the ghee on medium low heat.

2. Add the onions and celery. Cook until the onions are tender. Stir in the flour and mix to coat the vegetables.

3. Add the broth and mix to incorporate. The mixture will become thick.

4. In a bowl, mix the cream with the peanut butter. Add the mixture to the broth.

5. Cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Pour the mixture into a blender. Whiz until smooth.

7. Return to Dutch oven to keep it warm. You can add more broth if the mixture is too thick for your liking.

8. Season to taste.

9. Serve warm with chopped peanuts and ground black peppers.