The Common Culinarian

How’s that for a post header, huh? One of my favorite things to do is to roast vegetables in the oven. There’s just something about the deep, rich flavor of roasted anything that is incredibly satisfying. Around this time of year, you can find all kinds of delicious things to roast: potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, squash…

We bought an acorn squash a few weeks ago, not really sure what we going to do with it, but it was on sale. We’ve had it for a few weeks, so I knew that I needed to use it–but what for? Suddenly, I had this great idea to make a soup! We’ve also been eating a little less healthfully lately (notice that there haven’t been any posts on Wednesdays for the last several weeks?), so a soup seemed to be a good choice, rather than some deep fat fried thing.

But, of course, it’s that time of year, so I’ve been working late and haven’t had time really to cook. Thus, my sous chef has been helping me out:

She tells me this is my blog, even after I’ve implored her to write about some of her trials and tribulations, so that’s why she doesn’t really post here. But, she’s working just as hard as I am in the kitchen, and she deserves some credit. So, there you have it!

Anyway, we bought this squash, and we’re making soup. I was just thinking of pureeing the squash with some chicken stock, but I’m glad I looked up a recipe–there’s more too it than that, but it’s still relatively simple. Just get a few basic ingredients together, and you’ll have roasted squash soup in no time!

Roasted Squash Soup

Adapted from Michael Chiarello.

Ingredients

• About 3 pounds of squash (such as butternut, acorn, pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Optional

• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Peel the squash and cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter has melted, combine with the next six ingredients (do not add the olive oil).
4. Toss the butter-spice mixture with the squash and spread in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.
5. Roast in the oven about 45 minutes to an hour, until the squash is soft and has begun to caramelize (turn brown around the edges).
6. When the squash has finished roasting, allow it to cool. When it has cooled, use a blender to puree the squash. Set aside.
7. Meanwhile, heat a medium-large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
8. When the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and cinnamon stick. Stir continuously, allowing the vegetables to get soft, but not to brown–about 10 minutes.
9. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes, then add the squash puree.
10. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then discard the cinnamon stick and add the vinegar.
11. Use a blender to homogenize the soup in batches. Once the soup has been through the blender, reheat it gently before serving.
12. Add this point, add the half-and-half if you’re using it. Garnish with the cheese and seeds, if desired.

Some observations: This soup is already really rich between the butter and the oil. You really don’t need the half-and-half–it’s creamy enough without out. Also, when you run the soup through the blender, fill the blender less than half way, leave the pour spout open, and cover the top loosely with a clean towel. This soup will expand to at least double while the blender is running and the soup is hot. Trust me! Finally, we served with with some white wine and it when perfectly–squash is a little on the sweet side, so go for a sweeter wine. We chose a Yellow Tail Riesling. Enjoy!