Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Cumin

This was a new recipe for me that I found through a circuitous route from The Wednesday Chef to the NY Times Magazine.  I don’t remember how I got to the Wednesday Chef one of those internet worm holes where you start off in one space and click, click, click your way to somewhere new.  Anyway, I really enjoy roasted butternut squash with lots and lots of garlic.  It’s one of those vegetables that I buy every time I go to the produce store in the fall/winter/spring months, along with sweet potatoes, and then roast and eat non-stop.  The cumin and cayenne was something new and I always like to have soup around so I was intrigued.  Not quiet intrigued to make the complete recipe; I opted to halve* it because I find squash or carrot or one vegetable soups to be kind of a one note bore.  I can eat vegetable soup over and over but on my third bowl of squash soup I’m wondering how much more I am really going to have to eat before I can toss it without feeling guilty. 

This recipe suggests you toast the squash seeds in cumin and then top each serving of soup with them.  I did that and found the squash seeds overly chewy and not worth it so tossed them into the compost.  I guess if you are inspired you could get the pumpkin seeds…I was not, and will not be in the future.  I just can’t imagine them adding that much to the soup to make them worth the added hassle.  I also used half and half instead of buttermilk or cream because that is what I had on hand. 

This soup improved greatly after a day or so but still, I was glad I did not make the full amount.  I enjoyed it and would make again but was not sorry to see the end of it.  It made the perfect amount for one person. I would hesitate to freeze it because of the cream, not sure if it would separate.   

Here’s the recipe:

Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin
Serves 4

1 large (about 3 pounds) butternut squash
3 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or simply use the squash seeds from the butternut)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
Small pinch of sugar
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk or cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. With a large knife, split the squash in half (scoop out and reserve the seeds, if you plan on using them). Brush the cut side of the squash with 2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the large baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 35 minutes.

2. If using the squash seeds, remove any orange fibers from seeds and rinse them under running water. Drain and place on paper towels to dry. Toss the squash or pumpkin seeds with the remaining teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin, and season with salt. Place in a small but heavy pan and toast over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden-brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Scoop the flesh from the squash shells or peel off the blistered skin, using a sharp-edged spoon to help it along, and place the flesh in a pot. Add the chicken stock, garlic, vinegar, sugar, cayenne and remaining cumin. Bring to a boil, lower and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Stir in the buttermilk and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with the squash or pumpkin seeds.

Here’s the link to the NY Times recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/26/magazine/food-basic-instincts.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Here’s the Wednesday Chef’s post on the same recipe:  http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2011/11/molly-oneills-roasted-squash-soup-with-cumin.html

*I typed that word as halve and then had to go check that it was actually correct.  It is (it means to divide into two equal parts).  I wanted to use the past tense halved which I was confident was a word but couldn’t work it into my sentence.