Malanga and Spinach Soup

Nothing timid about this sultry soup. Malanga’s curious characteristics are well illustrated here; it tastes musky and meaty, qualities that are underscored by the soft spinach and earthy dried mushrooms. It has a unique texture, at once slippery and creamy: the malanga dice do not break up and disintegrate, but melt, become smaller and smoother as they cook, as tender as puréed beans, thickening the soup and, at the same time, remaining distinct pieces.