Roasted Squash, Pear and Ginger Soup
FROM
Market-Inspired Holiday Menu by Mona J.
Recipe source: Deborah Madison (original recipe doubled)
Serves 12
This fall soup is like putting on the first sweater of the season: it just feels so good. Although the soup takes several steps — roasting the squash and pears (which can be done a day ahead of time), cooking them, and finally puréeing the soup — none involve much from you. It’s an easily made soup that will keep well for days — a great possibility for a holiday meal.
INGREDIENTS
2 Buttercup, Perfection, or other dense winter squash, rinsed (5 pounds total)
6 ripe but firm pears, any variety, quartered, seeds and stems removed
1 piece fresh ginger root (about 4 inches long), thinly sliced
Sunflower-seed oil or olive oil for roasting the squash and pears
Sea salt
4 Tbsp. butter or sunflower-seed oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream (optional)
METHOD
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
-
Roast the squash and the pears: Cut the squash in half, scrape out and reserve the seeds, then cut each half into thirds. Put the pieces in 2 large baking dishes or roasting pans with the pears and all but a few slices of the ginger. Brush with oil, season with salt, and bake until fragrant and tender, about 1 hour. Turn the pieces once or twice so that they have a chance to caramelize on more than one surface. If the squash seems very dry (some varieties are), add 1 cup water to each pan to create steam and cover with foil.
-
When the squash is tender, transfer everything from the pan to a cutting board, add 1 cup water to each pan, and scrape to dissolve the juices, reserving the liquid. Scrape the flesh of the squash away from the skins. You should have about 4 cups of squash flesh.
-
Make the stock: Bring 12 cups water to a boil. Add the reserved seeds and, eventually, the squash skins, the remaining ginger, and a teaspoon of salt. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes.
-
Make the soup: Meanwhile, melt the butter or oil in a soup pot. Add the onions, give them a stir, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown a bit and is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the pears, ginger, and squash, then the reserved deglazing water. Strain the stock into the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool briefly, then purée until smooth and pass through a food mill or strainer to ensure a silky texture.
To serve: Serve as is, or swirl in the crème fraîche or sour cream.
VARIATIONS
Dice a pear or an apple, sprinkle with a little sugar, and caramelize in a little butter or oil. Use these “croutons” as a finishing touch.
Omit the ginger and add cooked wild rice to the finished soup.
Crisp thin strips of fresh ginger in oil or butter and add a cluster to each serving.