One of my favorite tastes of winter is a rich, thick winter squash soup. Soup in general is a wonderful thing when the air is cold and the sky is gray, but squash soups have the further benefit of adding a splash of color to the day.
Our children can be reluctant to try a new soup, but they are more willing to try a dense soup, one that is almost a purée, rather than a thinner, broth-based soup. We saw these interesting buttercup squash at the farmer’s market and decided to use them for our soup.
This recipe is very forgiving in terms of the ratio of the ingredients. If you have more or less squash or like a less garlicky soup, you can easily adjust the amounts to suit your needs.You could also substitute another squash with firm orange flesh, such as butternut squash or pumpkin.
I decided to enhance the sweetness of the squash by roasting it along with shallots and garlic. Depending on the size of the squash, it can take a little while to roast, but the actual time you need to be in the kitchen working is minimal. And the roasting adds a depth of flavor that you don’t get with simmering or boiling.
We topped the soup with a drizzle of sour cream and lime, forming the children’s initials to win them over to trying the soup. Heavy cream would be an equally tasty alternative. The children all appreciated the letters and were eager to try it. Two out of three even lapped up the entire bowl.
Roasted Shallot and Buttercup Squash Soup
Serves 5
20 minutes preparation time
60 minutes cooking time
3 medium buttercup squash, about 5 pounds
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5-6 shallots, whole with the peel on
5-6 garlic cloves, whole, with the peel on
1 2-inch by 1-inch sized piece of ginger, cut into 2 or 3 large pieces
1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
juice from one lime (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut sides with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and place them face down on a baking sheet. Place the shallots and garlic in the nooks around the squash and put the sheet in the oven. Roast until the squash are tender and have browned, between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.
Remove the squash from the oven, and let them cool enough so that you can handle them. Scoop out the flesh of the squash from the skin and slip the garlic and shallots out of their skins.
Heat the remaining oil in a soup pot, add the ginger and cook briefly, for 1-2 minutes. Add the squash, shallots, and garlic along with any juices from the baking sheet. If necessary, use a bit of water to loosen any roasted pieces that cling to the sheet. Cover the squash with water and add the bouillon. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove the ginger and purée the soup with an immersion blender. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
If you’d like to make the sour cream drizzle, put the sour cream and lime juice in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to eliminate lumps. Using a spoon or a small pitcher, drizzle the sour cream mixture over the soup in the design of your choice.
Comments