Thursday, March 24, 2011

Beautiful Soup

Ah the butternut squash.  So big, so pretty, so difficult to cut.  I got quite a large supply of butternut squash in my CSA box recently.  Here's a soup that I made.  It turned out just delectable.  First, enjoy this poem about soup.  We read it aloud lastnight before we ate this soup for dinner. 

Beautiful Soup
Beautiful Soup, so rich and green
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, Beautiful Soup.
Soup of the evening, Beautiful Soup.

Beau-ootiful Soo-oop!
Beau-ootiful Soo-oop!
Soo-oop of the e-e-evening,
Beautiful, Beautiful Soup!

Beautiful Soup!  Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup?
Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup?

Beau-tiful Soo-oop!
Beau-tiful Soo-oop!
Soo-oop of the e-e-evening,
Beautiful, Beauti-FUL SOUP!
                          -Lewis Carroll


So here's the recipe for Beautiful Butternut Squash Soup:

2 large or 3 small butternut squash
1 large onion
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground ginger - or 1 Tbsp. ground fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. butter
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
5 cups water
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cut squash in half and seed them.  Then place them, flesh side down, into a large, oiled, shallow pan.  Add a couple of Tbsp. water.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for about an hour. 
While the squash are baking, chop the onion into very small pieces and saute in the butter until the onions are soft and clearish.  Then add a cup of water, the garlic, pepper and ginger and simmer - covered for about ten minutes.

When the squash is tender - remove it from the oven and allow it to cool a bit.  Once it has cooled, it will be easy to remove the flesh from the skin.  You will be able to peel it right off.  Put half the squash in a food processor - and add half the can of coconut milk.  Process until smooth.  Then add it to the pan of onions and spices.  Put the rest of the squash and the rest of the milk into the processor and repeat.  Add in the remaining four cups of water, the chili powder and the cinnamon - then stir, over low to medium heat, until hot.  Add salt - if you wish and any other spices that you like.

I really never measure much when I make this soup.  These are all approximate measures and I encourage you to add a little of this and a little of that until the soup tastes good to you. 

You'll love this soup.  I add about a cup of cooked lentils to the soup and call it a meal.  It is also nice served with some good bread.  It is even more fun if you read the Lewis Carroll poem aloud before you eat it - and I think that makes it taste better too.

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