Roasted Winter Squash Soup Food

WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a heavy - bottomed stockpot, add the onions, and cook over medium - low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the pumpkin puree, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium - low heat for about 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender. Process the mixture through the medium blade of a food mill. Return to the pot, add the half - and - half, and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor, add another teaspoon of salt. Serve hot with garnishes, if desired.
• Cook's Note: To serve with croutons, remove the crusts from 2 slices of white bread, cut them in 1/2-inch cubes, and saute them in 1 tablespoon of butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

ROASTED SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the squash, cut side down, on baking sheets and roast for 45 minutes, or until flesh is soft. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Saute the onion, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook 1 minute. Add the apples and sherry and simmer for 10 minutes, or until apples soften.
• Puree batches of the squash flesh and broth in a food processor or blender. Transfer the squash puree to a large saucepan. Puree the apple/sherry mixture and stir into pureed squash.
• Heat over medium heat and season with salt, pepper and cayenne, to taste.

ROASTED WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on a baking sheet, cut side down. Bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
• While squash is roasting, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, sage and allspice. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover. Stir in apple and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until apple is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Scoop out the squash pulp and add it to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Let soup cool slightly. Working in 2 batches, puree the soup in a blender, holding the lid down firmly with a kitchen towel to prevent the steam from pushing it off. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• When ready to serve, heat soup over medium heat until it just reaches a simmer. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Ladle into hot soup bowls and garnish with walnuts.

ROASTED WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400.
• Cut the squash in half, seed it, and quarter it.
• Brush well with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Place cut side up in a baking dish and roast until squash is soft and browned at the edges, 45 minutes-1 hour.
• When squash is tender throughout, scoop flesh from skin and set aside.
• These steps can be done ahead of time and frozen for later use.
• Cook onion in butter over medium low heat until soft.
• Onion should be sweated, not cooked till brown or caramelized.
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced to nearly dry (about ten minutes).
• Combine the herbs and spices (thyme through fresh parsley) in a cheesecloth bundle/bouquet garni, add it to the pot.
• Add the squash pulp to the pot.
• Gradually add the chicken stock to desired thickness (you may not need all 4 cups), and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer soup for 20 minutes.
• Remove cheesecloth bundle/bouquet garni, and puree soup with hand blender or food processor until it is the desired consistency.
• Serve hot.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• For the soup:
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chicken stock and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)
• Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service.
• To serve:
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, if desired.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown, pull the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage, sugar, vinegar (stand back so as not to get splattered), molasses and toasted spice rub. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
• Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well, then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny.
• Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Serving suggestions: Serve the puree on its own as a side dish for roast chicken, turkey, or pork; stir into polenta just before the end of cooking; use as a stuffing for ravioli; make into a soup; or use to flavor pastina. Or omit the sage, season with ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste, and use as a substitute for canned pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.
• Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool.
• Put mixture into a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.

PURéED WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the winter squash, garlic and minced ginger and cook, stirring, until the mixture smells fragrant, about 1 minute
• Add the water or stock, the rice and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the squash is very tender
• Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender, cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid. Return to the pot and heat through. Stir in the ginger juice, taste and season with salt and pepper. If desired, thin out with a little more water or stock
• Ladle the soup into bowls and add a tablespoon of yogurt (more to taste), then slowly swirl the yogurt into the soup with a spoon. Squeeze a few drops of lime juice onto each serving and sprinkle with whisper of nutmeg

WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onion and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add the broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the squash, parsley, salt, savory, rosemary and nutmeg and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until heated through. Cool slightly., In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan and heat through. Gradually stir in cream. Cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GRUYèRE CROUTONS

Steps:

• For soup:
• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
• For croutons:
• Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLE AND SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, parsnip, and turnip. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Add thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, and bay leaves to the pot, tucking the sprigs down into the vegetables so they can release their oils. Add garlic and continue to stir occasionally. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Heat vegetable stock in a separate pot. Add all the vegetables from the skillet. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Retrieve all herb sprigs. Serve as is or allow soup to cool and blend in a blender to desired consistency.

WINTER SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place squash face down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake about 30-45 minutes (depending upon size) in a preheated 350 degree F oven until soft.
• While squash is baking, heat the butter in a heavy soup pot over medium low heat. Add onions, leeks, and carrots. Sweat until soft. Do not brown. Add vegetable stock to soup pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
• When squash is done, scoop cooked squash from the. Add squash to the soup pot. Continue to simmer about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are thoroughly cooked and softened.
• Puree soup mixture in a blender or food processor. This may require several batches. Strain soup through a medium mesh strainer and discard the solids.
• Season with allspice, ginger, salt and pepper. Portion soup into individual bowls. Slice apples very thin and arrange attractively on top of soup. Garnish with Cinnamon Croutons.
• **Cinnamon Croutons - take day old bread & cube. Place bread in a large zip style bag. Add some cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and melted butter. Shake well until all bread is coated. Bake in pre-heated 400 degree over till golden. You may have to stir them once during cooking.
• Recipe written by Sherry Schie, Jazzy Cooking with Sherry, LLC.