Winter squash ginger soup
It was a dinner-related comment from my friend and walking buddy Jex Calvert of Food Focused Nutrition, along with the possession of an Autumn Frost squash from my CSA, that directed my most recent recipe quest. Jex mentioned making soup with a combination of butternut squash and ginger, and that sounded like a wonderful mixture of warmth, sweetness, and creaminess, with a little bite to balance out the sweetness. The flavor profile of autumn frost squash is similar to that of butternut, so given that and the relative scarcity of autumn frost recipes, I searched for directions to make a butternut squash ginger soup.
One recipe I found that fits the guidelines of this blog is this Butternut Squash Ginger Soup from the Spruce Eats. With only a few ingredients (squash, onion, garlic, ginger (fresh and dried), broth, butter or oil, and salt), the recipe is simple and quick, once the squash is peeled and chopped. The only change required is using oil rather than butter and skipping the optional sour cream topping. The recipe calls for chicken broth, but vegetable broth could easily be substituted to make the recipe vegan.
Photo courtesy of Laura Colligan at Dirt Rich Farm
For my batch of soup I used olive oil and chicken broth, and the result was absolutely delicious. One thing I learned in the process, however, is that autumn frost squash are best used in recipes which don’t require peeling. The squash are roundish, ribbed, and dark tan in color, with what looks like a coating of frost on top. They’re nice looking (and delicious) squash, but the ribs make them difficult to peel. I’ve seen some recipes which suggest roasting squash and then scooping out the flesh to eat or use in recipes. That would be a much less frustrating way to approach autumn frost squash!
The challenge of peeling my squash was worth the effort, though. My taste buds will be thrilled every time I eat this soup, and with a full day’s Vitamin C and more than a day’s Vitamin A in a single serving, my body will enjoy it, too.