By Maggie Conklin
Savory Winter Squash Soup
When it’s cold and blustery outside, and all you feel like doing is curling up in front of a fire with a good book and a dog, cat or significant other to keep your feet warm, then it’s time to make soup.
Warm, savory, thick, soul-fulfilling soup. Something you can slurp out of the spoon with abandon, not caring if anyone can hear you. Did you know it is considered polite to slurp soup and noodles in Japan? That means you think it’s delicious.
I simply know you have had times when the weather was frightful, the fire was delightful and the soup cured what ailed your soul. There might be too many holiday parties to go to, school functions, family outings and potlucks.
We’ve all had those days and are allowed to fantasize about quitting our jobs and staying home for the rest of our lives … or at least until spring.
Ingredients
1 medium winter squash, pealed, gutted and cubed into 1” cubes (about 6 cups)
2 cups chicken bouillon
1 cup water
1 yellow onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp each cumin, white pepper, rosemary and thyme
Put cubed squash in medium pot, add water and bouillon. Simmer for 30 minutes.
In separate small pan, chop up and sauté the rest of the vegetables in butter, adding in spices while it cooks. Once vegetables are cooked but still a little firm, ladle them into the squash pot and stir. When they are all well-cooked and soft, turn off the stove.
Either mash everything in the pot with a potato masher, pour it into a blender and blend on medium until smooth, or use a submersible “wand” blender to make it smooth.
Serve in your favorite bowl. You can garnish it with a dollop of sour cream and/or a sprig of mint or rosemary.
Enjoy!