Butternut squash soup with leeks

[eve11]

hardware:
pot
food processer
baking sheet and some parchment paper

software:
1 small leek
1 (approx 2lb) butternut squash
6 cups vegetable stock
approx 1/4 cup half-and-half

spices:
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard seed (more if you like it spicier)
1/4 tsp crushed ginger
approx 3 tbsp honey
salt and black pepper to taste

(I used some minced garlic in the veggie stock but none in the soup; it would be good to roast some garlic cloves with the squash and mix them in as well)

cooked squash face-down (split in half) on parchment paper at 350 for about an hour until it is mushy and somewhat caramelizing. Scoop out squash and put it in a bowl to store. squeeze a bunch of honey (approx 3 tbsp) into the squash and mix it up.

Meanwhile, chop the leek into small rounds and add it with some oil to the pot on medium heat. Cook approx 5 to 10 minutes to sweat it out. Add the squash and spices, mix together on med heat to blend everything together. Add the vegetable stock and simmer and mix for about 5 to 10 minutes until it comes up to temperature. Transfer (in shifts if necessary) to the food processor and puree. Mix in half-and-half. Add some more spices if you would like, and serve.

Comments

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Hm, if/when I get around to trying this, I'll have to find a way around my lack of food processor. Sounds very yummy, though.

[eve11]

chop the leeks really small and just use mostly the white parts, and cook them down for a while. Then mash the squash really well with a potato masher... ah, you don't have one of those either do you? You can mash it with a slotted spoon or big fork, and then use like a wire whisk to mix everything together. It won't quite be puree consistency but it'll be darn close.

[clocketpatch]

mmmm, sounds good!

I just made butternut squash soup last night. I'm not sure I like it as much as acorn squash but it still definitely has a lot to recommend it.

[eve11]

Mmmm i will have to try acorn squash :)

[laughingmagpie.livejournal.com]

This sounds yummy and has many of my favorite things: squash, leeks, garam masala! :-)

I would recommend making sure you toast the curry, garam masala and mustard seed - either at the beginning in the oil before adding the leeks, stir them around until you begin to smell them, then add the leeks; or you could do the leeks first and just before they are finished sweating, add the spices, mix them with the leeks and toast them at that point, then add the squash and remaining spices.

My Indian mother-in-law taught me this :-)

[eve11]

Good advice, thanks! I never remember how to do spices well, and then I usually have ground spices instead of whole so am never sure if the procedure is the same.