I look back on my recent recipe posts and they are majorly SOUPS. For that I will not apologise! It is winter and my body is crying out for nutrients and warmth from the inside, so soup it is!
Earlier in the year I gathered a collection of creeping squash, pumpkin and butternut (all belonging to the curbitaceae family); all harvested from my veggie patch.
What variety did I create my soup with? I’m stumped to be brutally honest. It was light green/grey skinned like you’d expect to see in a typical Crown Pumpkin, but not in shape, size or texture. This squash (which broadly covers most things, and pumpkin is a type of squash) is technically a fruit not a vegetable as it has ‘seeds on the inside’.
On this occasion my incredible edible grew round like a small soccer ball and had easy-to-peel skin. From what I’ve been able to establish, it may have been a ‘summer squash’ which has thinner skin, crunchy and sweet inside. If you are confused as I am check out vegetables.co.nz who explain things with a little more patience than I.
Regardless, all my collectables have been stored together in a cool box with no direct sunlight on a benchtop, with no sign of decay or discolouration since summer. Truly a remarkable crop with such longevity, I’ll be sprinkling more seeds about next summer and hoping for a similar result.
Right. Now to the soup of the moment.
Just a few days ago I had fun making Buttercup & Ginger Soup with tiny buttercups (also known as Gem Squash and Yumpkins), but today I combined squash with a full head of broccoli that needed consuming before it ‘turned’ for the worse.
While already sweet, I decided to par roast the squash before putting it in my soup as the process of roasting brings out sweetness that can be lost if boiled. The coconut milk and ginger adds a beautiful flavour — and for heat lovers, a dollop of chilli relish folded through before serving, could be the extra zing you need. Otherwise, it’s a family-friendly winter soup packed with goodness, vitamin C and nutrients. Yum.
Broccoli & Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium squash (any variety)
- pinch of salt
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onion, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 medium broccoli (florets and stalk)
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- seasoning (salt and pepper to taste)
- fresh chilli, for garnish
Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan bake). On an oven tray, lined with baking paper, add squash (skin peeled and discarded, flesh cut into small pieces), sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- In the meanwhile in a large heavy-based pot, heat oil and saute onion and bay leaves together until soft (approx 5 minutes); add minced garlic and ginger and saute for a further 2-3 minutes. Add vegetable stock and stir well.
- Cut broccoli stalks into small cubes of similar size (so they cook easily) and add, with the florets, to the pot.
- When the squash is cooked (or par roasted, as it doesn’t have to be fully cooked at this point), add to the pot too. Raise the temperature to a boil, then cover with a lid (or a loosely fitting chopping board), reduce to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Taste test and add seasoning if required (given there is lots of vegetable stock which generally is well seasoned, extra salt should not be required).
- Take from heat and allow to cool. Once at a manageable temperature blitz in a food processor until smooth. Transfer back into the pot and return to heat. Add coconut milk and bring back to simmer temperature.
- Serve hot; ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced chilli.
Enjoy.
