Here's a simple squash soup recipe that uses heirloom winter squash- Blue Hubbard - instead of the usual Butternut Squash. You can use any type of winter squash in this soup, but we wanted to trumpet the use of more heirloom vegetables in our recipes here.
We grow heirloom and hybrid squash in our neighbor's field, using the weed stop fabric. We made a how to video about using the weed free plastic gardening mulch, which you can watch here.
Winter Squash are easy to grow. The biggest problem we have with growing squash is the Squash Vine Borer, and we have 2 videos on dealing with them
An organic method to prevent the Squash Vine Borer Video
How to deal with a Squash Vine Borer infestation Video
You can cook winter squash several ways, steaming, frying, baking... I prefer to roast squash. You need to be careful when cutting winter squash, it's quite dense, and you need a sharp knife. Take care to steady the squash and yourself when cutting it up, if you slip, its a bad thing with a knife.
Baking or roasting squash helps sweeten the flavor of the squash, i think. I split the squash in two, put both halves face up in a pan, and stick in the oven; don't cover with foil.
Heirloom Simple Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
• 1 Heirloom Squash, such as Hubbard
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small handful sage or thyme or a mix
• 2 cups lowfat milk
Cooking Directions
1. Split the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, place face up in roasting pan and roast for 1 hour at 350 or until squash flesh is soft. you can check this when a knife easily inserts into the flesh.
2. When squash is roasted, put 2 glugs of oil in a dutch oven or deep pot, toss in oinion and cook till just golden and kinda clear
3. Add cooked squash flesh to the pot along with chopped herbs
4. Mash the squash with a potato masher and add some of the milk.
5. You can use a hand blender or masher to cream the squash, adding more milk to get the consistency you want. A blender will work also, but its more messy.
6. Salt and pepper to taste and ladle into individual bowls.
7. You can add in home made croutons, which makes the soup more of a filling meal.
Steve Schuyler
When I make squash soup, I add a couple of onions, quartered, a carton of chicken broth, a pint of heavy cream, a pinch of nutmeg and or cinamon, and after serving, I scrape some aged English Chedder on top...
Creamy, cheesy, oh so easy.