z u p p a d i z u c c a
The aromatics
8-9 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4-5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 to 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
The fat
3-4 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
The main act
8 cups of peeled & cubed squash (generally 1 large acorn & 1 large butternut)
1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree (not pie filling, of course)
The broth
6 cups of good chicken broth (I recommend one 48 oz. container of
Swanson 100% Fat Free Natural Goodness chicken broth - 33% less sodium)*
The seasoning
2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt (I love Morton’s kosher salt) - (more or less if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground cumin
generous pinch of each of the following (more or less to your personal tastebuds):
freshly ground coriander
cayenne pepper
turmeric
freshly grated nutmeg
dried ginger
cassia cinnamon
The process
Prep all vegetables. Heat butter and oil in your favorite pot over medium heat. Add shallots and onion and cook until tender for five minutes or so. Add ginger and garlic. Cook another few minutes and be careful not to burn (the garlic especially). Add cubed squash. Add all of the seasonings. Stir and cook for another five minutes or so. Add the broth and the pumpkin. Stir, bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. (BTB/RTS). Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or so until the squash is tender. If the broth tastes a bit salty, that’s ok because once the vegetables are all blended, the soup will be nicely seasoned. You can re-check seasoning after blending.
Once the squash is tender, remove lid from pot and allow to cool slightly. Carefully blend in batches, using a blender OR much more easily, I hope you have an immersion blender....... blend in the pot, using your immersion blender until nice and creamy. Now check for seasoning. Need salt? Need pepper? Need fiery kick? Need more of any spice? Rely on your taste buds and season to suit your palate. The consistency will be beautifully creamy without cream. If you’re watching your waistline, simply reheat to serving temperature, re-season if needed, and serve!
If adding cream, slowly reheat blended soup and whisk in your desired amount of cream. About 1/2 cup will provide a very creamy, rich and velvety soup.Be sure to check for seasoning again, as the cream will cool down the level of seasoning a bit. Feel free to whisk in more broth if you’d like to thin your soup.
Enjoy and be sure to improvise, using your favorite spices.
The finish
In KPK, we like to top the soup with a few roasted and salted pepitas for a little bit of earthy and crunchy contrast. A drizzle or a few drops of cream would be beautiful. A sprig of something nice (like a tiny sage leaf or a tiny thyme sprig) would be pretty. Homemade buttery and cheesy herb croutons would be fabulous too. If not, just serve with your favorite artisan bread and butter. A whole grain bread would be delicious. Hey, we just brought home a two pound loaf of polenta bread with pumpkin seeds from Tartine Bakery & Cafe in San Francisco. OMG. I need to defrost that ASAP and make another batch of this soup!
Bon Appetit!
Love, Katie |
