It’s the time of year when my thoughts turn toward soup. (Yes Virginia, even in Southern California there is a soup season.)
Right now I’m contemplating a large pot of squash soup - butternut and acorn, probably - though where to go from that base has me puzzled.
In looking at various recipes it seems one can skew to the sweeter side (with carrots, apple, maple syrup, and what I think of as “pumpkin pie” spicing [cinnamon, nutmeg]) or more savory (with onions, shallots, garlic, celery, carrots and herbs including sage and thyme). Of course, there are those that go the curry route, too.
Chunky or smooth, other vegetables or added meat, what garnishes (if any)?
My “madeleine” of squash soup is more of a bisque: first had it at a Wolfgang Puck quick service restaurant at Downtown Disney in Orlando. Steaming hot, rich and comforting, it had a red pepper coulis swirled through. (This recipe looks like what I recall.)
I don’t make squash soup often, but if I do it’s always done as follows: base of onion fried in olive oil, add celery and sometimes garlic, add squash in cubes, stock, fresh bay leaf and flat leaf parsley, puree when done. I don’t like sweetness so that’s why I don’t use carrots and opt for celery instead. As it’s the season, I’ll probably be making this pretty soon!
I like my squash soup smooth and silky, so any other flavors have to be sufficiently roasted and/or blended in. I can get too lazy to strain, so usually I blend for a loong time. I don’t mind a little carrot, but I know some who will toss in an apple for extra sweetness and that is a bit much for me. Lots of roasted onions, squash, and usually a chicken stock base.
Usually I just use stock cubes, and then I prefer meat over vegetable. Yes, I don’t roast the squash because that (the caramelisation of sugars) will make it sweeter which is what I do not want… so just gently boiling in the stock. I really like the resulting flavour, very clean, predominantly squash, but then these minor notes of celery, bay leaf and fresh black pepper when serving.
The first time I had any squash soup was at Salmagundi’s in SF in my young adult life. I loved it because it was very savory and not sweet. I haven’t had anything like it since. I’m not in the sweet soup camp unless it is ice cream soup.
I love squash soup though I don’t make it often. I make mine with lemongrass, sambal oelek, orange and coconut milk along with other spices and aromatics. It’s really good and even my partner, who isn’t a fan of squash, enjoys it this way.
When I moved to NYC in 1999, my extremely limited food experience got quite the jolt. And happily so! It feels extremely pedestrian today, but the two dishes that stand out in my memory from that first year or so are (1) a whole roast chicken in a skillet, on a bed of potatoes and onions, and (2) butternut squash soup. Both made at home.
I’ve probably never given squash soup an even shake–it’s been mostly a leftovers dump dish for me. A little stock, some quick mirepoix, the blender. I should be more systematic about it. It’s always been good, though…
Savory and spicy, never sweet for me. I would even go so far as to blend in steamed cauliflower and/or fennel to cut the natural sweetness of squash. Alliums, cheese, curry, Sriracha, chile powders, etc - all are welcome (maybe not all at the same time). Just keep the apples and other sweet additions FAR away.
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
20
I have a hard time with the sweetness and the baby food texture. The only time I really like itis when it’s made with tons of heavy cream, in which case, what a waste of heavy cream…
With lots of savory seasoning, thin texture, and crunchy toppings I can enjoy it. But that’s a lot of requirements.
