Congo Green Papaya Soup*

I've been in a bit of a rut about food lately. Everything I've fixed myself has been food I like (New Orleans Red Beans & Rice, tomatoes Kandahar, spicy tuna casserole, V-8 aspic, pico de gallo, southwestern meat loaf, zucchini lime soup, a few other things) but I've been eating the same few recipes over and over. So, I sat down at my desk and pulled out my cookbooks and went looking for something that I haven't fixed in a while. And found this, which I haven't had in the last three or four years and which is easy and which I love. It's fairly quick and inexpensive. And it occurred to me that some of you might enjoy it as well.

2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
2 large, green papayas, peeled, sliced lengthwise, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper to taste (I use ½ teaspoon)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until it is transparent, then add the broth. Add the papaya, salt, and cayenne pepper and simmer until the papaya is tender, about 8 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Update: Julie asked if you serve it cold, because of the ice in the picture. That picture is from a version that is served cold. I serve mine hot.

* Medaris, Angela Shelf, The African-American Kitchen. Page 29