"Mean Soup"

You may have noticed that we like soup around here...well most of us that is. Ian is not a huge soup fan. He has his favorites, corn chowder, mushroom, and he has been begging me to make clam chowder again. The other soups are not his friends, including homemade tomato which he used to love. A few weeks ago Brian brought home a butternut squash home from the farmer's market. I was not super pleased because, I am not a super fan of butternut squash. I would prefer to have acorn, please. I do love butternut squash soup, so I decided that would be the fate of my new friend. As I was making this delicious soup and the aroma was filling our home. I knew I was going to have some difficulty getting Ian to eat "squash soup." Another thing he is not a fan of, squash. Oh, he loves the brown sugar and butter syrup that goes with it, but the actually squash not so much. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to portray my son as a picky eater. He loves spinach, kale, and brussel sprouts...he's just "selective." Anyway, as I was saying. I was trying to figure out how I was going to get Ian to eat the soup. A week or so earlier, I had read this book "Mean Soup" to Ian. I decided that is what I would call it, and maybe he would eat it then. "Mean Soup" is essential a "witches brew" with frogs, snakes, and spiders. Sounds a lot more appetizing than butternut, doesn't it! Well, it only worked for the first half of the bowl, before he decided he didn't like it. I guess it was worth a shot. The rest of us loved this soup! The ginger, blends so well with the shallots and squash. This is the perfect fall soup. Ian said to me this evening, " Mom, you remember that orange soup you made, that "mean soup." Well, I didn't like it."
Give it a try, I think you will.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Olive oil (enough to lightly coat the bottom of your pot)
1/2 cup diced shallots
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup minced, fresh peeled ginger
4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 1/2 tsps. kosher salt
1 tsp. curry powder
2 cups water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 15-ounce can low-fat coconut milk

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for a few minutes. Then add the garlic and ginger cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add the bay leaves, and red pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add the squash, salt, and curry powder, cook for 10 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high, and add the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring and mashing every 5 minutes ( I used a potato masher). Add the coconut milk and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves, and blend soup in batches with a blender. Puree until smooth.

Add more water if soup seems too thick. Reheat soup, season with salt and serve.

xoxo
Rach