The Whole Wheat

SOUP WEEK, DAY 3

In honor of Halloween, today I’m posting about Winter Squash soup, which can easily be made with pumpkin! In fact I’ve made it with a pumpkin sister, the Australian Blue. Brad actually declared the soup made with the Australian Blue his all time favorite. I really like the Delicata Squash variety for soup. The wonderful thing about this recipe though is that you can use any type of these hard winter squashes – all following the same recipe! You may have to roast a squash such as the Australian Blue a bit longer though. Try it with different varieties and let me know your favorite!

Winter squash tend to have hard skins and can be difficult to peel. Therefore roast them first as described below, then simply scoop out all the goodness directly into the pot.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 – 3 pounds winter squash
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 t. dried sage (or 1 T. fresh chopped)
• 1/4 t. dried thyme
• 1/4 c. chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 2 quarts vegetable stock (or use water if necessary)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Rub the surfaces with oil then place cut side down on a baking sheet with the garlic cloves tucked inside the squash cavities. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30-45 minutes.
2. In a soup pot, warm several tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften. Add the sage, thyme, and parsley and continue cooking until the onion begins to brown around the edges – a total cooking time of about 12-15 minutes.
3. Scoop out the squash flesh and add to the pot, along with any juices that may have accumulated.
4. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pot along with the salt and stock.
5. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Partially cover and lower the heat to simmer for 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a bit of cheese (such as fontina, pecorina, ricotta salata, or goat cheese), fried sage leaves, or baked squash seeds as desired. No garnish works just as well!

Here are a few example photos, enjoy!

Australian Blue Squash
	Roasted Delicata squash plus garlic cloves
Scooped out Delicata squash flesh