Sweet Potato And Corn Chowder

* Note: "You can omit the heavy cream and still have a smooth, delicious soup," Robison said.

In 4-quart soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft but not brown. Add sweet potatoes and stock; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partly covered, 25 minutes or until potatoes are quite soft.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, lime juice and lemon zest. Whisk until well-blended. Set aside.

When potatoes are tender, strain soup, reserving broth. Puree cooked vegetables in a food processor or blender. Whisk puree back into the broth; return mixture to pot. Whisk in heavy cream. Add hot pepper and corn. Cook 5 minutes or until pepper is crisp-tender. Do not let boil. Taste and correct seasonings.

Serve soup hot in individual bowls garnished with a dollop of the reserved sour cream mixture and sprinkled with cilantro leaves. Serve with toasted pita bread triangles.

Yield: 6 servings.