* Alchemy Farmhouse *

A two-way soup for Liz…

At the request of my good friend Liz, here are some squash soup recipes. One works well for a lighter meal or even as a chilled soup, while the other is thicker and more substantial. they are both vegan, but could easily be doctored if you are craving meat or dairy. I think you might be surprised though, if you are expecting a vegan soup to be tasteless or ‘wussy’. Give them a fair shot

Light Apple Squash Soup

1 lg. butternut squash, halved, sprinkled with cinnamon, and roasted 1 hr. in 400 degree oven

4-5 apples, peeled and sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 inch slice ginger root, finely minced

couple splashes EVOO

several cups veggie stock–I prefer Kitchen Basics because it is flavorful & lower in sodium than most brands

Saute ginger, garlic and apples in EVOO on low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Do not let the garlic or ginger brown- it will make the soup bitter. Baste it with the juices that seep from the cooking apples. Afterward, put mixture in blender and top with squash spooned from its baked shell. Add one cup stock to begin mixing, and as needed for desired consistency. I prefer mine pureed smoothly like apple sauce. Simmer quickly on the stove top if serving immediately, otherwise refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Hearty White Bean Squash Soup with Cauliflower

Same as above ingredients

1 half-head cauliflower

1 lg. can white beans

Roast squash as instructed in recipe above, and in the meantime, steam a half-head of cauliflower. Cook apples, garlic, ginger as before. If using dried white beans, have them soaked 24 hours in advance, or the easiest way is to use 1 lg. can rinsed and drained of Great Northern or Cannellini beans. Put them in the blender first, along with one cup of stock and puree. Add stock as needed. Then add cauliflower, squash and apple mixture, adding stock as needed, and going in ‘shifts’ depending on blender capacity. Pour finished batches into a large container and mix at the end, if need be. This one is a much richer version, and the beans balance the sweetness of the apples. It would be a nice soup to add sausage and sage too, if you are meat-inclined. Enjoy!

1 Comment so far
Leave a comment