Soup is the Song of the Hearth..and the Home.
LOUIS PULLIG De GOUY – the soup book (1949)
Nothing brings me as much comfort as a simmering pot of soup on the stove. As the days get shorter and darker and colder, my yen for salad wanes and I reach for the big pot again and again.
On the menu today, roasted buttercup squash soup, fragrant with spices from India with a hint of creamy coconut.
Buttercup seems a bit more dense and sweeter than butternut after roasting, ideal for a curried soup. Its brilliant golden-orange flesh not only adds a gorgeous hue but is a great source of vitamins A and C, beta-carotene and fiber.
So let the wind howl and watch the rain turn into sleet, then snow. This soup will keep you warm and toasty inside.
Curried Buttercup Squash Soup
This delicious creamy soup strikes a perfect balance between sweet and spicy!
Ingredients
- 1 buttercup squash, roasted
- 1 med onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder Shan curry powder is one type that works well
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 small dried red chili peppers (optional)
- 1 can coconut milk, light or regular
- Salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 400 F
- Cut 1 buttercup squash in half and scoop out seeds (which are excellent toasted on their own)
- Roast squash cut-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet until fork-tender (approximately 30-40 minutes)
- Let cool, then scoop the baked flesh from the skin and set aside (compost skin)
- In soup pot on medium heat, saute diced onions, garlic and ginger until softened (if avoiding oil, saute in water or broth)
- Stir in curry powder and garam masala until fragrant (it's quick, don't let it burn)
- Add 4cups vegetable broth ( or water with low-sodium vegetable boullion powder)
- Stir in roasted squash - if too thick, add an additional cup of broth or water
- Add dried chili peppers if including
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to simmer
- Simmer for 15 minutes
- Remove chili peppers if using
- Stir in coconut milk
- With immersion blender, blend until velvety smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, puree in small batches in regular or high-speed blender with vented lid.
- Taste and adjust spices to your liking
- Serve, garnished with a sprig of cilantro or a few toasted, shelled pumpkin seeds or a light sprinkle of cinnamon