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Old December 5, 2009   #5
gardenpaws_VA
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Northern Virginia, USA - zone 7+
Posts: 161
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Winter Squash Soup, my way

I haven't a formal recipe for this, but hope this is something other cooks can follow. Precision is not the issue here; not boiling after the milk is added is much more important!
Use a high-flavor squash (current favorite is Neck Pumpkin), cooked, pureed and drained of excess liquid in a sieve. For each (dinner-sized) serving, I think I used about a third or half cup of puree, plus enough chicken stock to make it the right consistency. I use powdered milk rather than fresh, mixing it with enough water to eliminate lumps. Here's the secret ingredient - for each serving needed, add about a tablespoon of mashed or pureed sweet potato. It lets the soup thicken slightly without the need to add flour or cornstarch. (If I'm using the blender anyway, I'll do the milk and the sweet potato together with some water.) Season with salt, pepper and ginger to taste, and garnish with bacon bits if desired.

BTW, if you reduce the drained liquid which originally came from the squash puree (I don't put it in the soup because I'm cooking the squash and storing it already drained for space reasons), it makes a pretty good pancake syrup. I add a cinnamon stick when I'm reducing it, and haven't so far bothered to add extra sugar.

Last edited by gardenpaws_VA; December 9, 2009 at 03:47 PM. Reason: clarification
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