The Foodist: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

The Foodist: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with pancetta for dinner last night. Roasting the butternut halves in the oven first is key to this recipe! Perfect for cold fall or winter evenings, and it Freezes beautifully.

The butternut quash is raised here from heirloom seeds. Big meaty squash that stores well through winter. The rest of the root vegetables as well!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 2lb/1kg Whole Butternut Squashes
• 2.5 cups / 600ml Chicken Stock, or as    needed (can sub veg stock)
• 1 large White Onion, roughly diced
• 4 cloves of Garlic (skins left on)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Rosemary
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice off the very end of the squashes and carefully slice them in half lengthways. Gut out the seeds, then slice a crosshatch pattern in each one (don’t slice all the way through, this is just to allow the flavour to seep in). Place on a large baking tray.
2. In a small bowl combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Brush the squashes, then pop a clove of garlic in each of the dips.
3. Place in the oven at 190C/375F for 45-60mins, or until very soft and caramelized. Don’t be tempted to rush this, low and slow is key to getting beautifully caramelized and fork-tender butternut squash. Pull the tray out 1 or 2 times to baste them in the juice that collects in the dips.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot begin frying the onion in 2 tbsp butter over low-medium heat until soft, golden and caramelized. Again, low and slow is best.
5. Scoop out the flesh from the squashes and place into the pot, then squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add that in too. Pour in stock and blitz with a hand blender until smooth. If you want it thinner then just gradually add in more stock. If you go overboard just simmer to thicken. Season generously (to taste) with salt and pepper.
6. Serve hot with toasted pine nuts, pancetta and a teeny pinch of parsley.

NOTES

Spice – 1/4 tsp adds a nice gentle background tingle, but if you’re really not good with heat consider 1/8 tsp or just a pinch, then adjust accordingly at the end.

Stock – Add more or less for a thicker/thinner soup. I mostly use chicken stock as I find it to be richer, but veg stock does work well too.

Toppings (optional)

•  Toasted Pine Nuts
•  Crispy Pancetta
• Fresh Parsley

Toppings – If you’re struggling with pancetta, bacon would sub. Parsley is to add a pop of colour and a smidge of flavour, but definitely don’t go overboard. Just a teeny bit to finish. You can leave this out if you wish.

The Foodist: Quick Bean Soup

While reading some notes by Jacques Pepin, I saw that he likes to keep cannelloni beans and chorizo on hand for a quick soup. All that he says in his note is that he puréed the beans and added the chorizo with some chicken broth and cream. So with that as a springboard I made a mire poix (the French holy trinity of diced onion/carrot/celery) and added some garlic (because if I grab an onion I’m grabbing a couple cloves of garlic).

I didn’t have chorizo but had some ham to cube. So I fried some ham in a little oil (this time infused with mushroom and sage but not sure how much that added to taste). Took the ham out to cube and sautéed my vegetables in the residue.

I threw in some thyme, a slight pinch of cayenne, and salt/pepper. Added broth and brought it to a boil with the sauté, the ham, and some drained cannelloni beans. I only puréed half the beans because I like some texture.

Then I took off heat and added some whole milk. It was a simple but delightful soup. Served with some cornbread. Pretty quick and easy. I’m keeping some cannelloni on the shelf now too.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 16oz cans of cannelini beans
• 3 carrots (sliced and cubed)
• 3 celery stalks (sliced and cubed)
• 2 onions (sliced and cubed)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 lb ham (sliced and cubed)
• 2 tbs olive oil for ham and for mire poix
• 1 cup whole milk – or – 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup half and half
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 1 tsp minced thyme
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 fresh chives chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Add chicken stock and cannelini beans to a large covered pan over medium heat.
2. In a large skillet, add olive oil and cubed ham over medium-high heat. Stirring gently. Saute the ham until it just starts to brown. Remove ham and add it to the beans and stock in the large pan.
3. Prepare mire poix (carrots, celery, and onion) and add mire poix and garlic to leftover oil from ham.
4. Cook until vegetables begin to soften and the onion begins to sweat.
5. Add cooked mire poix to ham, bean and chicken stock. Add the thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir well.
6. Remove half of the soup mix and place in a large stainless or glass bowl. Using an immersion blender, blend the contents to a smooth soup. Return to the beans in the large pan. Stir gently.
7. In a small sauce pan, or the skillet you browned ham and vegetables in, add the milk or cream. Heat slowly to just a simmer.
8. Add that to the main pot of beans. Stir gently. Allow beans to cook for 15 minutes.

Like all soups, this soup will be better after refrigeration, but is equally good fresh. Serve in a bowl topped with chives, with cornbread and a smile.