Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg's King's Arms Tavern; here updated with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. Adapted from the Peanut Soup at the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg.
In a heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. Do allow to brown.
Sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine. Stir to saute for one minute.
Add chicken or vegetable stock to vegetables. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Allow the vegetable mixture to cool to a temperature that is safe to work with before proceeding to the next step.
Option 1: Puree the cooled soup in the saucepan with a hand blender until smooth. Option 2: Puree the cooled soup in a blender and return to saucepan.
Into the pureed soup in pan, add the peanut butter and half & half. Stir until peanut butter has completely dissolved into the soup.
Stir in lemon juice, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, and brown sugar.
Return pan to heat only to warm to soup to serving temperature. DO NOT BOIL!
Serve warm or cold. Garnish as desired.
Notes
Peanut soup can be served as is, but if you want to make things interesting, offer toppings in small cups or bowls and give your guests the opportunity to create their own flavor combinations. Choose topping/add-ins that give the soup crunch, and bite, and really enhance the flavor of the soup itself. Fresh, citrusy flavors and little crunchy bites work especially well.