This recipe is just slightly adapted from Meike Peters’ amazing cookbook “365: A Year of Everyday Cooking and Baking.” Peters calls for butternut squash, but you can substitute it for another winter squash, such as red kuri, kabocha, hubbard or sugar pumpkin. Don’t substitute it for a squash or pumpkin that has stringy flesh like spaghetti squash or field pumpkin. Field pumpkins have a watery, stringy and sometimes bitter taste. They’re great for carving jack-o’-lanterns because of its thin shell, but not great for eating.
The combination of orange-fleshed squash and yellow split peas makes a visually beautiful autumnal golden soup. The topping of sautéed red onions and whipped Gorgonzola cheese gives it a robust, tangy, slightly sweet flavor. The maple syrup and balsamic vinegar may seem like too much sweetness, but it really works with the earthy flavor in the soup, the creamy mascarpone and tang of the Gorgonzola. Talk about complexity of flavor!
Claudia Alexander, a resident of Marin County, has been happily cooking for family and friends for more than three decades. She has a weekly food blog,
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Squash is at its peak this time of year and is a perfect base for secret sauces and/or unexpected ingredients that will make a meal memorable. When it comes to flavor, it really is all about the secret sauce — that unexpected ingredient or topping that changes the whole dish. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gourmet item or even take much time to elevate the ordinary dish into the finger-licking category. When foodies talk about the complexity of a flavor, they are talking about that secret sauce, ingredient or topping.
An example of an unexpected ingredient is anchovies in a ragu sauce or sautéed with capers and garlic for chicken thighs. For a secret sauce, top sautéed Swiss chard with a sprinkle of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, and a small pat of unsalted butter. The unexpected flavor is subtle but memorable. Get ready for someone to ask where you bought the chard.
With so many different varieties of squash in the markets, it’s hard to walk by without buying at least one, maybe two. If you happen to pick up a butternut squash, cut it into wedges — no peeling necessary, you can eat the skin. Into a mortar and pestle, toss some cardamom seeds, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil; mash to a paste and coat the squash. Roast until fork-tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes. If, like me, you’re only cooking for two, you might have enough left for this recipe below.
The ingredients for this Autumn Squash Soup. (Photo by Claudia Alexander)
This recipe is just slightly adapted from Meike Peters’ amazing cookbook “365: A Year of Everyday Cooking and Baking.” Peters calls for butternut squash, but you can substitute it for another winter squash, such as red kuri, kabocha, hubbard or sugar pumpkin. Don’t substitute it for a squash or pumpkin that has stringy flesh like spaghetti squash or field pumpkin. Field pumpkins have a watery, stringy and sometimes bitter taste. They’re great for carving jack-o’-lanterns because of its thin shell, but not great for eating.
The combination of orange-fleshed squash and yellow split peas makes …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
