In a rare moment of lucidity, we decided on Thanksgiving that we didn’t really need more than eight side dishes for 12 people. So the whipped chipotle sweet potatoes, a staple for about a decade, fell off the menu to make room for the new: Louisa’s lime-y cranberry relish and Amelia’s gratinéed squash, for example.

Of course, this left three sweet potatoes and a couple ruby yams lingering in the fridge, waiting for their moment.  It came on a frigid Book Club night this week and, instead of playing a supporting role, they got to star.

The sweet potato soup, silky and rich, was a perfect foil to the winter weather and a nice balance to the requisite red wine. It’s simple enough to make. First, a quick sauté of chopped onion, leek, garlic and carrots, sweet potatoes and a single baking potato in butter. Second a simmering bath of  vegetable broth, white wine and bay leaf. Last, a quick whip with an immersion blender. A dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of ground chipotle topped it off, a perfect winter dish.