Soup has been the thing to ease me back into cooking. And even though it's not squash season, I have a thing for butternut soup. In spite of my having about 4 trusted recipes for it in my chaotic binder, I had to try this new one. The pumpkin seeds, the chipotle chilies in adobo, the rosemary. How could I resist? I'll definitely be making this again. It's from Sara Foster's Fresh Every Day, a book you'll be seeing more of over the next few posts.
Chipotle-Squash Soup with Fresh Rosemary and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
1 small winter squash (pumpkin, butternut or acorn - 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), halved and seeds removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted and salted, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Place squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet with sides. Add 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan and roast the squash until it is soft to the touch, 40-45 minutes
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until the onion is very soft and light brown. Add carrots and bell pepper and continue to cook until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes, until it's fragrant but not brown.
4. Add the broth, chipotle chilies, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring the soup to a low boil over medium-high heat. While the soup is coming to a boil, scoop out the squash flesh with a large spoon. Discard the skin and add the flesh to the soup. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.
5. Remove soup from the heat and stir in rosemary. Allow to cool slightly before pureeing. Working in batches if necessary, pour the soup into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and puree until smooth. Or, puree the soup directly in the pot, using an immersion blender. Reheat if necessary, and serve warm, garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Cook's Notes
1. Make extra pumpkin seeds. I've never actually toasted them before, and I followed the recipe sidebar recommendation to toss them in good quality sea salt when done. So good. I could have eaten just a bowl of those for dinner.
2. These are the times I am so thankful for my immersion blender. After a disastrous blender-soup- kitchen floor trio a few years ago, this is my preferred way to puree soup. Right in the pot.
3. This had more of a kick than I expected. Maybe because it was a challenge to get the seeds out of the chipotle chilies. Even though I diligently scraped away, a few stray seeds made it into the soup. I like spicy food so it wasn't a problem, but if you don't, make sure to get all those seeds out.
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