Squash Your Soup Craving

In honor of gourd month and on account of it being rainy and dreary here in Atlanta, I think a proper soup dish is in order. Kabocha squash is the main attraction and creamy coconut milk plays the supporting role.

Even though we commonly refer to this bright orange-fleshed, bumpy green skinned Japanese winter squash as a vegetable, Kabocha, much like the tomato and cucumber, is actually a fruit. Sweeter than butternut squash and similar in flavor and texture to a pumpkin or sweet potato, the skin is actually edible much like Delicata squash. These hardy squash last a long time too, so if you want to stock up at your farmers market for the month there’s no worry of spoilage. Below you’ve got your Mise en place (the French term for “everything in it’s place”), or as we’ll call it – Da “Mise” – as well as a step-by-step prep guide.

Da”Mise”

• 1 kabocha or butternut squash
• 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 large sweet Vidalia onion
• ghee
• salt
• shaved Brussels sprouts for garnish

Prep Guide

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half and brush with coconut oil/olive oil/oil of choice. Place cut side down on lined cookie sheet and back for 45 min. Remove and let cool slightly. This can even be prepared the day before and heated back up.
2. While that cools. Dice onion and saute with salt in ghee until soft.
3. Add to your food processor or blender – the squash, onion and spices with a 1/4 c chicken stock and a 1/4 c of coconut milk. Blend
4. Continue adding chicken stock and coconut milk until you get the consistency you like. I like the soup a little thicker, but you may prefer a thinner soup. Keep adding liquid until you are satisfied. Season to taste with salt.
5. Garnish with whatever you’d like. Crispy bacon for the carnivores. Crispy onion or in this case I shaved some brussel sprouts and pan fried them in coconut oil until brown and crispy – then drained them on a paper towel. Then a final drizzle of olive oil and devour an entire bowl for lunch or serve it as a dinner side dish with your protein.