Curried Butternut Soup

I don’t think anything says Fall to me more than a creamy squash soup…except maybe all those leaves on the ground. As I mentioned in my last post, I got a great deal on a basket of six squashes at the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market a couple of weeks ago. I used the first butternut today to make this delicious and crazy simple soup. This stuff is liquid gold comfort food. Usually when I make it I toast up some pepitas to sprinkle on top, but it occurred to me that instead of throwing away the seeds from the squash, I could roast those and use them instead! I’m going to consider that my mini-moment of genius for the day.

Curried Butternut Soup

Serves 2-4

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 3 to 4 cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 cup Coconut Milk
• 1 Tbs Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Fenugreek Seed(optional)
• 1 Tbs Fresh Thyme or Mint, minced
• Lime Wedges
• Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel, core, and cube the squash. Separate the squash seeds from the guts and wash off any slime. Dry the seeds and spread them in a small baking dish. Toss them with salt and a little oil. Roast the seeds in the oven while you make the soup. Check on them occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.

Add a tablespoon or so of oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the fenugreek seeds if using and toast them in the oil for a minute to release the flavor. Throw in the squash, curry powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything together and cook for a few minutes more, so that the squash begins to caramelize a little.

Pour in vegetable stock(recipe follows*) until it just covers up the squash. Put a lid on the pot and turn down the heat a bit. Cook until the squash in tender.

When squash is cooked, take the soup off of the heat. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender, in batches, until it is smooth. Stir in the coconut milk and fresh herbs.

Serve the soup with an extra drizzle of coconut milk, a squeeze of lime juice, and a pinch of toasted squash seeds on top.

*How to make homemade vegetable stock(my way):

• 1 Yellow Onion, skin on
• 3 Carrots
• 2 Celery Ribs
• 1 Tomato
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Bay leaf
• Bunch of Parsley
• 1 tsp Whole Allspice
• Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil, cover it, and turn down the heat. Let the stock cook for about one hour. When it’s done, strain out the vegetables and reserve the liquid. I like to freeze my extra stock in ice cube trays, so that I can easily use it as needed.

Enjoy!