At Market...Butternut Squash

Ah....soup. I love you so. I love the way you warm my belly on a cold night. I love the way I can make a big batch of you and freeze the rest for nights when I cannot muster the energy to cook. I love the way you smell while you are simmering away on the stove. I love the way you never turn out exactly the same as you did the last time I made you.

Do you love soup too?

This soup is a seasonal favorite, and I cannot believe that I haven't posted it here before. The recipe makes a lot so I am usually guaranteed a few meals out of it. This year, I may serve it as a Thanksgiving appetizer, in little glasses so we can sip on it while we watch the turkey fry (more on that later). But tonight this soup is going with me to book club. I think the ladies will love it, don't you?





Butternut Squash Soup

Spiked with a bit of curry powder, ginger, and nutmeg, this gorgeous soup will warm you right through. Serve it as an appetizer in little shot glasses (mix and match is fine...even preferable), or as a meal, accompanied by Judy's Cheese Bread. Adapted from a recipe by Susan Branch.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: serves 6 as a main course...and lots more as an appetizer

Ingredients:

1 2 1/2 pound butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, scrubbed and sliced
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart of chicken stock, plus more to thin if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
large pinch of ground ginger
large pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Cut squash in half length-wise and scoop out all the seeds and gooey flesh. Rinse seeds, and if desired, roast as you would pumpkin seeds for a garnish.

3. Place squash, cut side down onto prepared baking sheet and bake fore 45 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.

4. While squash is baking, heat olive oil and butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and carrot slices and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and one quart of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are quite soft. Remove from heat.

5. Scoop squash flesh out of its skin and stir into the stockpot along with the potatoes. Add curry, ginger and nutmeg and stir to combine.

6. Carefully ladle the soup into a blender, filling only about half full. Vent a bit, to allow steam to escape and pulse soup until smooth. Pour off into a large bowl and continue blending soup in this way until it is all pureed.

6. Return soup back to the pot and add more stock if necessary to get your desired thickness. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot, garnished with a swirl of heavy cream and the roasted seeds, if using.