Silky Squash and Celery Root Soup

(recipe from Food & Wine magazine)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 lbs. Kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 celery root (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 shallots, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I used dried, doubled)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan.  Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat until golden brown.  Add the squash, celery root, and shallots and cook until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.  Add the vegetable broth, nutmeg, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to moderately low, cover partially, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

(Because, for winter in Maine, you can never have too many easy winter squash soup recipes!  A typical blended squash soup, but I liked the addition of celery root for a change.  Creamy and quite hearty.)

Roasted Hubbard Squash Soup with Hazelnuts & Chives

(recipe from Fine Cooking magazine)

3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 small (5 1/2-6 lbs.) Hubbard squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used coconut oil)
1 large leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
Kosher salt
5 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
Several small pinches Espelette pepper or cayenne

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400F.  Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

In a mortar and pestle, pound the oil, garlic, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and sage until they resemble a coarse paste.  Rub the spice mixture on the flesh of the squash halves.  Set them cut side down on the prepared pan and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.

Let cool, cut side up.  When cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh away from the rind - you'll need about 5 cups.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the leek, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the squash, broth, bay leaf, and 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes to develop the soup's flavor.

Remove the bay leaf and allow the soup to cool slightly.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender.  Return the soup to the pot and add the lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with the chopped hazelnuts, chives, and Espelette or cayenne pepper.

(Nice flavor.  The recipe is a bit involved, and I followed all of the steps, but I wonder if  the grinding of the spices to rub on the roasting squash is necessary - perhaps just add the spices into the soup along with the broth?  Also, the hazelnuts add an interesting element, but I think could just as well be left out, as they are only garnish.)

Kabocha Squash, Fennel, + Ginger Soup with Spicy Coconut Cream

(recipe from dollyandoatmeal.com)

1 kabocha squash, halved and seeded
1 large leek (or 2 small), white and light green parts sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, cored and sliced (reserve some fronds for garnish)
1 knob of fresh ginger (about 3/4 of an inch big), peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dry)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
5 cups filtered water (or broth)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 cup spicy coconut cream (recipe below)
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

spicy coconut cream:
1 can organic coconut milk
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
a couple pinches of salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

To make the coconut cream, whisk the coconut milk with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust accordingly, adding more lemon, salt or cayenne. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Rub a good amount of olive oil over cut side of squash; place cut side down on baking sheet and place in oven.  Cook squash until fork tender, about 50-65 minutes.  Let the squash cool until it's ready to handle.  Scoop squash out into a bowl and set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and coconut oil over medium heat.  Add sliced leeks and oregano, and saute until leeks are soft; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the fennel and ginger, and cook for about 5 minutes, until fennel is soft and ginger is fragrant.  Add the kabocha, bay leaf, water, salt, and pepper.  Stir.

Turn the heat up and bring soup to a simmer, cook for roughly 30 minutes, stirring every so often.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the spicy coconut cream.

In batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Transfer soup back to the pot and bring to a low simmer.  Stir in lemon juice and taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary.

Serve soup with a dollop of leftover spicy coconut cream, poppy seeds, or chopped fennel fronds.

(Such amazing flavor!  I used about a cup less broth, and liked the heartier consistency.  My first time using kabocha, and I thought it had an incredible depth of flavor - my favorite squash soup thus far.)

Carrot Coconut Soup with Chile and Lime

(recipe from Orangette)

1/2 stick unsalted butter (I used an equivalent amount of half olive oil, half coconut oil)
2 lb. carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
Kosher salt
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 to 2 cans unsweetened coconut milk (I used only one can)
About 2 Tbsp. sriracha, or to taste
Lime wedges, for serving
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, for serving (optional)

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the carrots and onion, season with a couple good pinches of salt, and cook, stirring often, until the carrots are softened, 15-20 minutes.  Stir in the broth, 1 1/2 cans of the coconut milk, and 1 Tbsp. of the sriracha.  Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and the liquid is slightly reduced, about 45 minutes.  Puree in small batches in a blender, or right in the pot with an immersion blender.  Check for seasoning, and add more salt and/or sriracha, if you like.  (Recommended to add one more Tbsp. of sriracha.)  If you'd like more richness, stir in more coconut milk.  Reheat as needed.

Serve with a generous squeeze of lime in each bowl, and top with cilantro.

(Easy, tasty, hearty pureed soup.  The sriracha gives an unexpected kick.)

Winter Squash Soup with Curry and Coconut Milk

(recipe from Orangette)

2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium or large yellow onion, chopped
3 or 4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 winter squash (about 2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 (14 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. Asian fish sauce (I left this out, replaced it with 1 Tbsp. tamari)
1 tsp. Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce
Juicy wedges of lime, for serving

Warm the oil in a Dutch oven (or other approximately 5-quart pot) over medium heat.  Add the onions, and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the curry powder, and cook for 1 minute more.  Add the squash, coconut milk, broth, maple syrup, fish sauce, and Sriracha, and stir well.  Raise the heat to bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or a regular blender), puree the soup until smooth and velvety.  Taste for salt and sweetness, and adjust if necessary.  Ladle the soup into big bowls, add a generous squeeze of lime to each, and serve hot.

(A creamy, delicate soup with nice flavor.  I used butternut squash, but Molly suggests kabocha as having a nicer flavor.  After looking at the fish sauce in the store, and seeing that the ingredients were just anchovies, salt, and sugar, I opted against it and just used some soy sauce.  I think the other ingredients give it plenty of zip and depth of flavor.  The lime is a nice touch at the end.)

Gingery Carrot and Tomato Soup

(recipe from fatfreevegan.com)

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger root, minced
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 lb. carrots (about 6 large), trimmed, peeled, and sliced
One 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
2 to 3 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or hot-smoked paprika
1 tsp. tahini

Heat a large, non-stick pot and add the onions.  Cook, stirring often, until they soften.  (If they start to stick, add water by the tablespoon.)  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.

Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth, carrots, and pepper or paprika.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, except tahini.

Transfer the soup to a blender (or blend half at a time, depending on size of blender).  Blend until soup is completely smooth.  Pour back into the pot.

Simmer, covered, on very low heat for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.  (The soup tastes better the longer it cooks, so if you have the time, give it longer.)  If it seems too thick, add additional vegetable broth.  Stir in the tahini, check seasonings, and add salt or pepper to taste.  Cook for another minute or two before serving hot.

(This is a nice, hearty blended soup and is easy to prepare.  I used the smoked paprika, and it gave a nice flavor.  Also used a little olive oil to saute the onions.  A good variation on the carrot soup repertoire - I seem to make a lot of them!)

Carrot Fennel Potage

(I think this came from the LearnVest website... ?)

One large fennel bulb (about 1 lb.), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
Four medium carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled, halved width-wise, and quartered
One medium Spanish onion, quartered
1 tsp. sea salt, divided
Olive oil
One medium Yukon gold potato (about 1/2 lb.), peeled and diced
3 Tbsp. Pernod or dry white wine
1 quart vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh dill leaves

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the fennel, carrots, and onion with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Divide among the baking sheets and spread in an even layer.  Roast in the oven until caramelized, about 40 minutes, swapping the pans halfway through cooking.  Note:  The vegetables can be roasted up to two days in advance.

Add the roasted veggies to a medium stockpot along with the raw potato and the remaining salt.  Pour in the wine, stock, and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion (or regular) blender.  Add more liquid if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Meanwhile, combine the dill and 1/4 cup of olive oil in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, adding more oil as necessary.

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with the dill oil.  Garnish with some croutons or a few nuts.

(This is a thick, flavorful soup.  I'm trying to avoid too much oil, so I just blended the dill right into the soup at the end.)

Acorn Squash-Ginger Bisque

(recipe from an unknown magazine clipping)

2 medium acorn squash (about 1 1/2 lbs. each)
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 1/4 cups red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 tsp. ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Slice each squash in half lengthwise, and place cut side down on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

Let cool, and remove seeds and membrane.  Scoop out pulp and set aside; discard remains.

In a large saucepan, bring sherry to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic; cook for 3 minutes and stir frequently.  Add bell peppers; continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Add reserved squash pulp, broth, and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour squash mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Serves 7.

(A thick and delicious soup.  I also blended some canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into some of the servings, with nice results.  If you remove the seeds from the squash before baking, you can bake them separately for a snack!)