Currently on a season of night shifts, so dinner is my new breakfast. Hearty winter soup seems to fit that awkward role well. I don’t know how I lived before my Vitamix. For my birthday this year, Mom and Dad Ellis gifted the majestic machine that I do caress and canoodle like a new lover. Oh Vitamix, I love you. Be my valentine. Rather, blend my valentine into a smooth, creamy pulp—because that is what you’ve done to my heart for vegetables. I may live three years longer than I else would have pre-Vitamix now that it has made palatable a cornucopia of previously forbidden fruits and vegetables.
Curried Kabocha Squash Soup
Adapted from Food and Wine
1 kabocha squash peeled, deseeded, and cubed
2 large shallots, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
1 tbsp hot chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp of crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
parsley or cilantro to top (optional)
Heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallot and garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté several minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add the squash, the chili, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper. Stir and cook for a minute or two. Add the stock, water, lemon, and cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 20 minutes or until the squash is completely soft.
Puree with an immersion blender or in a stand blender. Once completely smooth, add the cream. Season to taste with the fish sauce. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Enjoy! And THANK YOU Mom and Dad for the Wonderful Gift!
I’m not sure that what I made is actually kabocha squash soup, and that is because I was not entirely sure what a kabocha squash was, and at the trendy health food co-op, I was too embarrassed to admit foodie ignorance, so I just picked the squash that most looked to me like something named kabocha. I’m pretty sure it was an acorn squash, but I actively denied that suspicion long enough to get the thing into the soup broth. It really makes no difference, this soup tasted great, and probably would taste great with whatever squash-like product you happen to have available. Very spicy. Perfect for breakfast and a midnight lunch on labor and delivery.
Kabocha is one of my top three favorite varieties of squash. I’m not even sure I can say that phrase about any other vegetable.
I also like the addition of fish sauce.
What are the other two in the top three? I thought the fish sauce was going to ruin the whole thing, but it tasted great!
Long live the Hammer family…all three!
Izzy (the third Hammer) loves my night shift schedule. She has sometime to snuggle with in bed day AND night.
As a good friend of the family once said…’fish sauce smell very bad, but taste very good!”
Must have been Bird?
On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 12:18 AM, Bake This Day Our Daily Bread wrote:
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of course!
Oooh, another one I’m keeping in the “Recipes” folder of my email account, to be made when the mood strikes 🙂 Hang in there with the night shift! Man alive, you are getting the full-on Minnesota winter experience, having to come and go from your home during these winter nights! You are earning lots of tough lady badges during your years here 😉