DIY: Curried Autumn Squash Soup

October 12, 2007 by Matt  Send to a Friend

Yesterday was the first taste of autumn. Like many of the area residents, this is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, those pesky mosquitoes have finally gone away, squirrels are frantically running around in the hunt for acorns (or chillin’ on the side of the road, waiting for you to drive up so they can dash in front of your car like some demented game of frogger), and of course, the foliage.

So we say a very sorrowful goodbye to summer (even though we all bitched about the heat) and we welcome the fall with open arms:
Today when I woke up to the wind blustering through the streets and a nice cool 55 degrees outside, I decided to make this soup. It’s very simple, anyone can do it.
Actually, it is a recipe that I decided to pull out of the Café Saint-Ex vault. It was a hit there, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it in your own kitchens. The recipe makes about 4 decent portions. So what do you say? Let’s start cooking!

Ingredients:

1 ea. Acorn Squash, peeled and cut into large dice
½ ea. Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into large dice
2 ea. Leeks, white & light green part only, washed and cut into 1” pieces
3 ea Garlic Cloves, minced
1 ½ cups Canola Oil
1 tsp. Yellow Curry Powder
½ cup Heavy Cream
as needed Kosher Salt & Pepper

Garnish:
Chives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Equipment needed:
Knife
Cutting board
Roasting Pan (or a cake pan, like the one you stole from your mom to make pot brownies with that one time. . . )
Aluminum Foil
A blender
A fine strainer (optional, but it does make the soup silky smooth)
Medium size sauce pot or a small stock pot, either/or.

Method:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Trim the leeks, cut them lengthwise and wash them under cold running water (nobody wants dirt in their soup).
Square off the ends of the squash. Peel the skin off by using a knife to cut along the outside of it.

Once the squash is peeled, cut it in half, and use a spoon to remove the seeds (just like hollowing out a Halloween pumpkin). Cut the cleaned squash into a large dice (about 1” x 1” pieces).
Mince the cloves of garlic. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer ingredients to the roasting pan.
Pour the Canola Oil over the squash. The oil should reach about ¾ of the way to the top of the squash mixture.

Remember, oil expands when heated, so don’t overdo it. If it doesn’t reach the height you like, try a smaller pan.
Cover the pan with Aluminum Foil and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes. When done, the squash should be fork-tender, meaning; a fork should penetrate the squash with ease (mind out of the gutter, kids).
Once done, carefully ladle the mixture into a blender (the oil is hot, and oil burns fucking suck!). Blend until smooth and pour it through the strainer into the pot. Gently push the mixture through with the back end of a ladle.

Re-heat the soup over medium heat, whisk in the Heavy Cream and Yellow Curry Powder. Adjust seasoning as you like. *Note* One of the most fundamentally important things to do while cooking is to taste as you go. If it needs more of anything, add it little by little and taste, taste, and taste again. By doing this, you’ll prevent the “not enough” or “too much” that our mouths all hate.
Once it tastes good, ladle it into your bowl, garnish with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Chives and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
Slurp it down, and you can thank me later.

Alright, that wasn’t too hard, now was it? I really hope you enjoy this simple, easy and flavorful soup. I think it’s the perfect way to kick off the fall. Throw in some spiked cider and fresh apple pie, and well, you’ve got a fucking party. Woo Hoo!

Now, if you don’t like it, just remember this rule of thumb for the rest of your days . . . . . . .

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