Souper

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Butternut Squash and Roasted Pepper/Tomato Soup.

1 medium butternut squash
2 celery stalks
2 onions, chopped
1 bay leaf
parsley
4 sage leaves
1 large sweet pepper and 3-4 Anaheim peppers
1 Tbsp chile powder
1 lb tomatoes
butter
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (Ha! I used... more.)

Peel the squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds and strings out and put them in a stock pot. Add the peelings, celery, 1 onion, bay leaf, parsley, sage, and 8 cups 6 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool and strain.

Roast all the peppers until blackened. Scrape off the skins, dice the flesh, and set aside. Dice the squash and chop the tomatoes.

In a pot, melt a couple Tbsp butter with a couple Tbsp olive oil. Add the remaining chopped onion and the garlic; saute gently until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chile powder, and a little salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the squash, peppers, and the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the squash has begun to break down, about 45 minutes. Mash some of the squash to create a bit more thickness and body for the soup. Serve with a bit of chopped parsley on top.

What worked: It was a good way to use squash, peppers, and tomatoes from our box. Healthy.

What didn't: It was kind of boring. We continued reducing it down the next day to a much, much thicker (and flavorful) soup, which we liked a lot better. I'm not sure that making the vegetable stock was worth the hassle - we always have house-made chicken stock in the freezer, and I'd just use that next time.

Will I make it again? I might, but it's not top of the list.

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I always roast the squash first, and whizz everything (roasted carrots also, and sizzled onions and garlic and celery and whatever: last time I added an apple) up in the blender to make a smooth thick soup. And then decorate the hell out of it, with regular croutons and bacon croutons and diced-apple-sizzled-in-butter-that-we-will-call-apple-croutons and maybe a dollop of pesto or a swirl of cream or both. Or a drizzle of chilli oil. For yes, the interest is largely in the add-ons; the thing itself is earthy and worthy and can be a little dull.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

The basil oil we recently decanted helped this a lot, too.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Mmm, basil oil. Did you wisely take the oil off the basil, once the flavour had infused? That was the step I neglected, and sliminess ensued...

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

The recipe (http://madbaker.livejournal.com/744290.html) I posted says "strain through cheesecloth". Which I did.

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

drool

[thread-walker.livejournal.com]

yummm....