Lex Culinaria: Roasted Squash and Cumin Soup

If my idea of a perfect winter weekend revolves around the kitchen, this last weekend was beyond perfect. The house was full from Saturday morning to Sunday night with all sorts of great, steamy, toasty smells. It could be minus 40 degrees (thankfully, it's not) but it just doesn't seem as cold outside when the house is filled with the smell of slow-cooking soup and fresh bread.

We headed out to the market on Saturday morning and came away with a few of life's necessities: fresh dill, baby cukes, farm fresh eggs, rosy apples and a gorgeous, sweet golden delicious squash. It was the first time in a long while that I had enough free time to visit the Strathcona Farmer's market. And that's saying something as the market is a quick 2 blocks walk from my house!

By the end of the weekend we had 4 jars of garlicky, spicy tomato sauce, 4 jars of red wine garlic dills, two batches of homemade crackers, a soup pot full of golden orange squash and cumin soup and a bowl full of garlic and cheese croutons to eat with the soup. Enough to keep both of us warm through the week.

Roasted Squash and Cumin Soup - makes 8 servings

1 - 5 pound sweet orange squash ( I used golden delicious) peeled and cut into chunks
Spray on olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
2 medium onions
2 Teaspoons ground ginger
1.5 Tablespoons ground cumin
5 cloves garlic
3 cups chicken stock
black pepper
water to cover

Coat squash chunks with olive oil and roast in a 350F oven for approximately 30-45 minutes until chunks are nicely browned and soft. While the squash is roasting, melt butter in the bottom of a large soup pot and, over medium heat, gently brown onions and garlic. When the onions are softened and golden, add in cumin and ginger. Cook, stirring for 1 more minute. Add stock, black pepper and simmer. When squash chunks are roasted, add them to the pot, add enough water to increase the liquid just enough so it comes to the top of the squash chunks, increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

Serve with croutons, Parmesan cheese, chopped chives, or chopped parsley - or all of the above. I fried large multi grain bread chunks in garlic butter and topped them with sharp cheddar, before plonking a few into each bowl of soup. It made a very warming and filling Winter weekend lunch.

Comments

Looks lovely, Lyn! I made roasted squash quiche recently (got the recipe from Johanna of The Passionate Cook), and absolutely loved it, so I'm keen to try your soup now!

Posted by: Pille | November 15, 2006 at 12:19 AM

Love your giant croutons! Squash soup is one of my absolute favorites, in all of its incarnations. Lately I've been doing squash and pear, with curry as the carrying spice.

Posted by: Lydia | November 15, 2006 at 06:20 AM