Butternut Squash soup

Sage curried butternut squash soup

One way I unwind from my workday is to decide what I will make for dinner as I drive home from work. One hour of drive time is a long time to toss around various ideas in my head based on what I think is in my fridge at home. I am fortunate in that I don't cook for picky eaters. They are game for anything I make. So my range for what to cook is usually pretty wide. By the time I reach home I usually have decided what I will make. But that doesn't necessary mean that is what will end up on the dinner plate. Take the other evening for instance, I came home from work with fajitas for dinner on my mind. But seeing the butternut squash on my counter made me want to cook with it instead. I cut into the squash and its aroma transported me about 9000 miles to my mom's kitchen. I ended up making butternut squash idlis in honor of my mom. I will share the recipe for idlis another time. I am here today to share the recipe for butternut squash soup. I have made my own version of butternut squash soup before but I never used the seeds or fried parsley as a garnish. When I read the recipe for this soup, I knew there would be no changing of my mind this time. I served it as a very late Saturday dinner and this soup was just the right balance of light and tasty. It was a big hit at my house. Hope you make for your own family and enjoy it as much as we did at our house.

Recipe Source: PBS

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 (2-pound) butternut squash, cut in half with seeds scooped out and reserved
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander
• 9-10 whole fresh sage leaves
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon Madras-style curry powder
• 2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups veggie stock
• Salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the butternut squash with olive oil and place it face side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the butternut squash for 30-35 minutes, until it's tender with a fork. Remove and set aside until it's cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, let's make the garnish. Rinse out the seeds, discarding any pulp. Sprinkle the seeds with a pinch of cumin, pinch of ground coriander and a pinch of salt. In a small skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the seeds, toasting them on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. To the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add sage leaves and fry until the leaves are crispy and the edges are lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. To a stock pot, placed over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spices: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, Madras-style curry powder, minced sage leaves and minced garlic clove. Cook until the spices and garlic are fragrant, about 1 minute. Scoop out the butternut squash flesh and add it to the pot, along with the veggie stock. Cover the pot, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes. In batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until very smooth. Transfer the soup back to the pot and salt to taste. I added about 3/4 teaspoon. Stir in the heavy cream and heat until warm. Divide the soup between bowls and garnish with butternut squash seeds and fried sage leaves.