Chronic in the Kitchen: Winter squash soup

by Jennifer Hess

(Editrix's note: This is the 7th in a series of articles by Jennifer Hess on healthy cooking and eating. Look for more "Chronic in the Kitchen" articles soon! Questions? Suggestions? Contact Jennifer here.)

I love the flavor of winter squash, but those hard outer skins make it a real challenge to work with. So why not let someone else do the work for you? Frozen winter squash is widely available, and gives you all of the benefits of fresh, without the difficulty of chopping and peeling.

Many stores also stock pre-cut fresh squash halves in their produce sections - scoop out the seeds if there are any, roast on a baking sheet at 375 degrees until the flesh is tender (about 45 minutes), then scoop the flesh from the shell. You can then use it in a recipe, or season it with a little salt, pepper, and just a touch of butter or olive oil and serve it as a side dish.

Winter squashes like acorn and butternut are sweet and tasty, and their bright orange flesh is packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant/ anti-inflammatory which benefits the immune system and cardiovascular system. It’s low in calories (a 1 cup serving has about 80 calories) and high in fiber, which makes it a hearty yet healthy choice.

This soup really lets the squash’s flavor shine, and it’s one of the simplest you’ll ever make - and as a bonus, it freezes beautifully. If you’re not a fan of sage, omit it and add a little grated fresh ginger or curry powder instead - a tablespoon of either, added when you’re sautéing the onion and garlic, will give this soup a whole new dimension.

Winter Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Gruyere Croutons

For the Soup:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 of a softball-sized red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 celery stalk, diced
2 12 oz. boxes frozen winter squash with no sauce or butter added (or you can use an equivalent amount of fresh winter squash - you should have about 3 cups cooked squash total)
4 cups chicken broth or stock (you can substitute vegetable stock or water)
Kosher or sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Hot pepper sauce (to taste)
Several sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Crispy Sage and Gruyere Croutons:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
12 large fresh sage leaves
10 thin slices baguette
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

In a large soup pot, melt 1 tbsp. butter into olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock or broth and squash. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the squash puree is incorporated into the soup, add thyme sprigs, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat, cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, melt the 3 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan. Once the butter is melted and foamy, drop in the fresh sage leaves and cook, gently stirring, for just a few minutes until they are crispy. Turn off heat, remove sage leaves and set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place baguette slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush lightly with the melted sage butter. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes, until they are toasted and golden brown. Remove the baking sheet, flip the baguette slices over, lightly brush the other side with sage butter and sprinkle with Gruyere. Return them to the broiler and broil for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and set aside.

Stir in chopped sage and allow to continue cooking for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cream slowly, stirring well to incorporate.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Gruyere toasts and crispy sage leaves.

Posted: 3/13/2006 in The Kitchen

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Chronic in the Kitchen: Winter squash soup

Winter Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Gruyere Croutons

For the Soup:

For the Crispy Sage and Gruyere Croutons: