Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Pistachio, Orange, and Mint Salsa

Ingredients

• 4 pounds sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 sprigs sage, optional
• 2 quarts homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup fresh juice and 1 tablespoon freshly grated zest from 1 medium orange, divided
• 3/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios, crushed in a mortar and pestle or food processor
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
• 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Set the oven to 300 degrees F. In a bowl, coat the sweet potato with 4 tablespoons vegetable oil and salt, then divide it between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 1 hour, switching the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees F and keep roasting until the sweet potatoes are soft and lightly colored at the edges, about 25 minutes.
2. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, sage if you’re using it, and a generous pinch of salt, then cook and stir until the vegetables are just tender.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and stock, and bring everything to a simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender. Remove the sage if you added it, then stir in the orange juice. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or use a standing blender, until smooth. Season with salt.
4. For an extra-smooth soup, press it through a fine mesh strainer with a rubber spatula, pushing and scraping as you go; it may look stubborn at first, but nearly all of it will go through. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen it with more stock or water.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the pistachios, orange zest, scallions, mint, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the olive oil gently, then season with salt.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon the pistachio salsa over the top.