Crema de Malanga

Crema de Malanga is a thick, creamy soup, made creamy more by the texture of the Malanga than actual cream. Easy to make using simple ingredients, this soup is a delicious way to try something different.

Course Soup

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword malanga soup, root vegetable, root vegetable soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 210kcal

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus extra for garnish, optional
1 Small White Onion diced
3-5 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
2½ lbs. Malanga peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
5 cups Chicken Broth
½ cup Whole Milk heated through
Salt to taste only if needed
Chopped Parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions

Add the butter and olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. When the butter is melted and foamy, add the onions to the pot. Cook the onions for approximately 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly.
Add the Malanga and chicken broth to the pot and stir. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, stirring occasionally. As soon as the broth is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and cover. (if the liquid is boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit).
Cook until the Malanga is very tender and breaks apart easily when pressed with a spoon or fork. about 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Off the heat, process the soup with an immersion blender in the pot until smooth. (If you do not have an immersion blender, use a blender. Do not fill the blender to the top with hot liquid, process in batches.)
Heat the milk in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Still off the heat, add the milk to the Malanga soup, stir well to combine. Place the pot over medium to medium-low heat the warm through. Do not allow the soup to come to a boil.
Taste the crema de Malanga and add salt to taste, if needed. Garnish with parsley and drops (or a stream) of olive oil, if desired

Notes

Peeling a Malanga can be tricky. The wiry, thick exterior doesn’t work well with a peeler. The white inside is very slippery too, take care when handling. Using a paper or kitchen towel will help you get a good grip. I’ve found that peeling the Malanga much like you would a butternut squash is effective. Cut the ends off, then cut it into two or three pieces. Stand the Malanga on the widest part then cut off thin slices working all the way around. Once most of the peel is gone, be careful as the Malanga is very slippery.

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