Pumpkin Squash Soup is a flavorful celebration of autumn. Pumpkin is delicious, for sure, but did you know it’s super-healthy, too? Pumpkin squash is packed full of vitamins A, C and B, plus it provides plenty of dietary fiber.
Ingredients
6 tbsp. olive oil
generous splashes of Marsala or sherry
2 ½ to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 pound pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup of milk or cream (substitute coconut cream)
1 cup cashews, soaked in stock
Maldon sea salt
Fresh-grated turmeric
Fresh-grated nutmeg
Cinnamon
Curry powder (or) spice blends with:
Cumin, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, saffron
Dollops of honey
Brown butter (optional)
Instructions
Roasting the pumpkin & squash
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut up your pumpkin and squash. Core the pumpkin/squash of seeds, and cut away from the hard outer skin. Chop the flesh of the pumpkin/squash into cubes. Place the cubes of pumpkin/squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil generously and toss. Add the chopped shallots to the bowl and splash with Marsala (or sherry), sprinkling with curry spices and a generous pinch or two of sea salt. Toss until all of the pieces are well covered with the olive oil, Marsala and spices. Pour the bowl out onto a large sheet pan or roasting pan to roast, and place in oven. Roast until lightly golden, about 1 hour.
Prepare the soup
Remove your roasted pumpkin/squash from the oven. Pour it into your stock pot or a large pot. Add the cashews soaked in stock (with the liquid) and then pour in stock just enough to cover the pumpkin/squash mixture. Allow the soup to mellow in the pot for awhile before blending.
Puree and season
Ladle your soup into a high speed, heat resistant blender and puree until smooth. This is where the cashews work their magic. If you want to add some heavy cream (or coconut cream) to the blending process, now is the time. Blend in batches and transfer the pureed soup into a clean pot on the stove.
Time to season…
Use whatever flavor combinations you like. I use a curry spice blend that has cumin, coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and saffron. Ladle your soup into a pretty bowl and garnish as you please. Serve with a crusty baguette. Savor.
