This soup is really easy (as long as you have one of those immersion stick blender things.) It's also delicious and light and seasonal and pretty. It's really in the great tradition of apertifs, as in those drinks or foods that wake up your appetite but don't make you full. You can make it vegan, or add a tablespoon full of heavy cream or greek yogurt at the end if you want to give it a flourish. It serves 6 generously so it's a perfect starter for a dinner party and MFK Fisher said that 6 guests is the perfect dinner party size so how harmonious is that?
Curried Butternut Squash Soup:
- 21/2 lbs peeled butternut squash cut into chunks
- 1 medium onion
- 11/2Tbs canola oil
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 11/2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
- 11/2tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1tsp + salt (to taste)
- 1 Tbs packed brown sugar
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- unsweetened flaked coconut for garnish
Heat a 4-quart pot. Cook onion in oil, stirring, until softened. Add mustard seeds and cook over moderate heat, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add garlic, red pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and brown sugar and cook, stirring, about another 30 seconds. Add squash, stirring to coat all the pieces. Add broth and water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Lower when its boiling and bring it to a simmer. Cover partially. Check every ten minutes or so to see when the squash is tender (shouldn't take more than 30 minutes.) When squash is tender take off the heat and using your immersion blender stick thing pureé the squash. Taste for seasoning (I add more salt here.) When ready to serve, ladle into dishes and sprinkle coconut. Can you make this in advance? Yes! Does it taste delicious the next day? Yes! Might you need to add a little broth to it? You might.
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