Curried Butternut Squash Soup: Hot, Delicious, & Easy!

I love The New Moosewood Cookbook, although I am not vegetarian.  It has some amazing recipes, & this soup is derived from one of them.  There are many butternut squash soup recipes , but what makes this one different is the technique.  First, you roast the squash, which gives it a depth of flavor lacking in steamed squash.  Second, the recipe doesn't call for curry powder.  Onion & garlic are sautéed with a combination of spices, which gives you control over your curry flavor.  Last, you have the option of having a smooth, pureed soup or retain texture by not pureeing the onion mixture at the end.   This has become my go-to curried butternut squash soup recipe.   It is vegetarian, exploding with beta-carotene, delicious, & of course, healthy.  If you try it, let me know what you think! INGREDIENTS Prep Time: 45 min Yield – 4-5 servings (per the book…I say much more because I must make a less viscous version of the soup.)

3 cups	Cooked, pureed butternut squash (roast vs. steam)
2.5	Cups water (I use more, until I get the consistency I like)
2	Oranges, juiced (the original calls for 1 cup of orange juice)
1 Tbsp	Butter or oil of choice
1	Large onion, chopped
2	Medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp	Ginger powder, or about 2 Tbsp fresh, minced (I like fresh)
½ tsp	Ground cumin
½ tsp	Coriander
½ tsp	Cinnamon
¼ tsp	Dry mustard
1 ¼ tsp	Salt
To taste	Cayenne pepper
Optional	Lemon juice & yogurt for garnish

  PREPARATION

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds (Don’t throw them away.  You can roast them just like pumpkin seeds!).  Roast facedown on a baking sheet for 30-40 minutes.  Once the squash is cooked, scoop out 3 cups* of squash, & puree in a food processor with water until smooth.   Mix in the orange juice.   If you are short on time, you can peel/cube the squash, then steam.  The flavor is a little different than if you roast the squash, but it is still good.  (*I always use ALL of the squash, not just 3 cups.  If you do that, note how much squash you use, because you will need to use more water & seasoning accordingly.)
2. In a skillet, sauté the onion, garlic, & ginger with all of the spices (except cayenne) until the onion is very soft (about 8 minutes).  Add a little water if the onion sticks, & stir often.
3. Add the onion mixture to the squash & puree together.  Heat the soup over medium heat, & add cayenne pepper if desired.  Adjust the seasoning if you want to.  Serve with a squeeze lemon juice or a bit of plain yogurt if you think it’s too sweet.

  ALTERNATIVES

• The original recipe calls for mushrooms (1/2 lb, sliced), which are added to the onion mixture after the first 8 minutes, cooked covered for 10 minutes.  I hate mushrooms, which is why I don’t include it in my version.
• I have added roasted sweet potato to this soup a few times.

  Enjoy! Jessica