Pumpkin/Butternut Squash Soup, Thai Variant

Stop PRESS!  My laying hens finally delivered two gorgeous brown eggs this past Tuesday!  And, later that day, a third one!  I don’t know who laid what, but hey… laid.  Do follow up on my homesteading journal at Homestead Journal 2018.  It’s on the tab above somewhere, too.   

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

The neighbor across the street (Ray) gifted me with a pumpkin he’d grown in his yard.  I decided I wanted to cook with it, and I recalled a good friend of mine (Scott) had made a savory pumpkin soup from what was probably mostly butternut squash.  So… let’s mix it up!  I pried the recipe from his hands (not all that hard, actually), and had at it!  It would be a great dish to bring as a side to a local pot luck, especially since the majority of other sides seemed to be starch/sugar/starch/starch…  Yes, squash has starch, but it’s healthy lovely starch!

Love a Pumpkin!

Woke up this morning at 6:30 AM to the outdoor thermometer reading 2 degrees Fahrenheit.  Yep, brutally cold, and it remained at that temperature (along with some wind) until close to 9 AM, when the temps tried to rise.  They struggled mightily,  and with much complaint.  I think they got to about 13 F early afternoon today when they gave up the ghost and went downwards.

I brought my poor chickens warm water on and off, since they really don’t like drinking solid phase H2O.  Conserving all their body heat… they didn’t provide any eggs today.  I don’t blame them.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Yes, I am posting this the day after US Thanksgiving, but in time for those who do additional celebrating on Saturday… or, hey… save for 2019!  Or, it’s a hot soup… anytime you have winter squash or pumpkins to hand to break the chill!

Yep, it’s a monotone photo. This happens with purees!

For the below, you can buy pre-pureed pumpkin and/or squash, but I didn’t.  Yes, it took longer.  But my kitchen still smells wonderful…?

Prep Time: 20 minutes to simmer raw squash/pumpkin + another 10 to strain + another 10 to pulverize with immersion blender or any gadget you use to pulse and shred. Oh, if you have to chop up and peel the squashes, add that time in, too.
Cook Time: 30 minutes or so. You can add in onion sauteeing with the squash simmering time.  
Rest Time: None necessary.
Serves:  Potluck.  A fair number, figure 12-20.
Cuisine: American/Thai.
Leftovers: Sure.  Refrigerate and re-heat. 

• 2 teaspoon cooking oil – I used high temp avocado oil.  (Chosen is the best brand.)
• 4 large shallots (12.5 ounces / 350 grams), peeled and diced.  (Onion in a pinch.)
• 3.5 teaspoon mild curry
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper – optionally more, depending on taste.  
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped lemon grass, or 2 tablespoons lemon grass paste.  Go with the former, if you can.
• 8 cups / 1.89 liters cooked pumpkin or butternut squash  (I used about half each)
• 4 cups / 0.95 liter boxed low sodium chicken broth (or homemade) 
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 ounces/400 mL).  You can add in half of a second can; I forgot I only had one!  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Optional:  Chopped cilantro for garnish
• Optional:  A teaspoon or two of plain yogurt or sour cream, per bowl, for garnish.

Cook the pumpkin and/or squash.  Basically, if you don’t use puree, chop up your squashes (pumpkin IS a squash) to about 1 inch squares more or less,  and remove the peel.  Don’t use the fibrous and seed-filled innards of your squash, either — Save seeds and some of the fibrous parts for other purposes.

But back to our recipe…

Put the squash into a large pot (or two) and cover with water.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a heavy simmer/bare boil, and cook this way for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash mushes when you press a utensil against it.

Squish the pulp through a draining sieve, keeping the mashed pulp, discarding liquid.

Measure how much pulp you have and drop it into a large cooking pot.  You’ll want to use half the volume of this in broth.

Okay, back when the squash is getting squishy… ahem, as it were, you can sautee the shallots in the oil in a skillet, until translucent and beginning to brown slightly around the edges.  Toss in the garlic at this point.

Remove to that cooking pot.

Add the spices and seasonings to the cooking pot, along with one cup of the broth.

Using your immersion blender, puree all of the above.

Add everything else (except the optional garnishes), bring to a low boil, reduce and cover.  You will need to stir frequently.    Cook for about half an hour. Drop down to a simmer if you need to keep it hot longer.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  

I ended up transferring this all to a crock pot to bring to the Thanksgiving pot luck celebration, as I wanted to keep the soup warm during the course of the event.   And believe me, it was bitter cold outdoors on the way over!!!

Set it up so those who are lactose intolerant or Paleo can opt out of the yogurt/sour cream!  (Letting individuals add, or not, the garnishes as they will is a good idea.)

Stay Warm!

Here’s hoping that everyone had a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving (if you are in the US), remembering all the things we may have that we should be thankful for.  Health, good family, great friends.  It’s a time to focus on the positives that have happened, even though as we all know, in life negatives will always fall.  May your harvests be abundant!

Oh, and yes:  I’m continuing Thanksgiving  this weekend, and feasting over at Fiesta Friday.  The co-hosts this week are: Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau and Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes.   And I’m adventuring around at the Homestead Blog Hop, gaining all manners of nifty food and non-food ideas.  And of course, What’s For Dinner, Sunday Link-Up.