Sweet Potato Soup with Fried Pancetta and Rosemary Croutons

Ingredients

• Rosemary

  Fresh

  1 ½ tsp or 1g

• Sourdough bread

  French or vienna

  4 oz or 113g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  3 tbsp or 43g

• Chicken broth

  Soup, canned, ready-to-serve

  3 ½ cup or 840g

• Shallots

  Raw

  16 tbsp chopped or 160g

• Yam

  Raw

  2 cup, cubes or 300g

• Pancetta

  Sainsbury's

  3 pieces or 26g

Directions

1. Finely chop rosemary and shallots. Coarsely chop bacon. Peel yams, cut into cubes and mash, enough for 2 cups. Cut bread into 1/3-inch cubes, enough for 1 cup.
2. Saut pancetta in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels.
3. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to drippings in same saucepan; add shallots and reduce heat to medium. saut until shallots are soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary, then mashed sweet potatoes and 31/2 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin soup, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Puree soup in blender or processor if necessary.
4. Meanwhile, melt remaining 11/2 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread cubes and remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and saute until croutons are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes.
5. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with croutons and pancetta and serve.