Since I travelled to Australia, I've been making Pumpkin Soup for holidays and get togethers. This year I learned that you can substitute butternut squash for pumpkin, and made a version of this soup that we really liked. The cashews add a bit of crunch to the otherwise smooth soup, and the fresh ginger adds just a touch of interest. The flavors blend over time, but this is one of those soups you can just taste and add to, and it can turn out different every time. You will need a large pot, a deep saucepan, a blender and a large bowl.
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 quart (4 cups) organic chicken stock
- 1.5 cups raw organic cashews (nuts have a lot of fat in them, which absorbs pesticides, so organic is best if you have a choice)
- 3 medium onions (red or yellow) peeled & chopped
- 5-8 medium carrots peeled & chopped
- 1" square fresh ginger peeled & diced
- 3 Tbs unsalted butter
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
- Start the large pot boiling with a hefty amount of water (to boil the squash and potatoes in).
- Cut the butternut in half and scoop out the seeds. Then remove the skin with a small knife and chop the insides into large cubes. Add to boiling water.
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes in large chunks and add to the boiling water.
- Boil squash and sweet potatoes until soft when pricked with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter & saute the onions, cashews, carrots, ginger & salt & pepper (kitchen starts smelling good about now).- Add about a cup of the chicken stock to the blender, and with a slotted spoon, scoop out chunks of the squash/sweet potatoes and add to the blender.
- Blend in batches until smooth using the chicken stock as the liquid, and the boiling water from the pot once that is used up. Place blended batches in the large bowl until all is blended up.
- Once the onions and carrots are cooked, and the cashews browned, add them to the blender as well in batches. Add to the bowl.
- After everything is blended up, return to the pot. You can eat it at this point, or let it simmer to bring out more of the flavors.
- Best served on a rainy day with a large dollop of Nancy's Lowfat Plain Yogurt.
