Squash Soup

Makeover



Squash soup is a great idea, but too often it fails in execution. It's often banal, watery, and insipid. Something more like flavored squash juice than a true soup with soup's promise of savor, depth, and nuance. I had a bowl of soup like that not long ago and its lack of character irritated me. So for Thanksgiving I set out to create something more like what I imagined squash soup could be.

I scanned lots of recipes and I figured out why so much soup was watery -- squash is watery. So I decided to drain it after it was cooked. So I roasted the squash the day before making the soup then scooped the flesh out into a large sieve set over a bowl. After a night in the refrigerator I had over a cup of liquid in the bowl. I suppose I could have reduced the juice and included it in the soup, but instead I just threw it out.

Next, I wanted to add a distinct edge to the soup. Cumin or curry powder were too obvious, too predictable. After some thought I hit on horseradish. Horseradish has sort of a grassy flavor that I thought would draw a hard line against the soft flavor of the squash.

Maple syrup seemed like a sweetening agent that would complement the harshness of the horseradish and I thought buttermilk would add richness without ameliorating the effects of the horseradish and maple syrup.

The result, though not perfect, was mighty good. It was thick, rich, and full of flavor -- a very long way from bland or insipid.

Squash Soup

1 ea buttercup squash -- 2 1/2 - 3 lb (butternut can be substituted)
1 ea leek -- cleaned and cut into strips
2 tbsp butter
3/4 c buttermilk
3/4 c chicken stock
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
salt to taste

Cut squash in half across equator, clean out seeds, and place cut side down in a baking dish. Add about 1 inch of water to baking dish and cook in a 400F oven until tender -- 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Scrape flesh out of squash into a 2 qt bowl -- do not mash -- and refrigerate overnight. Drain accumulated liquid.

Melt butter in a 2 qt sauce pan over medium low heat and then sweat leeks until translucent. Add 1/2 cup of butter milk, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and heat thoroughly.

Puree squash mixture and return to sauce pan. Soup should be thick, but still then enough to require a bowl and spoon to eat. Add additional buttermilk and chicken stock to achieve desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings -- in particular you may need a bit more maple syrup depending on how sweet the squash was. Serves 4.

Note: This is much better if soup is allowed to meld overnight in the refrigerator.

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