Recipe of the Day: Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup

Sweet dumpling squash and ghost pumpkins

I like using sweet dumpling squash for this soup, but delicata or carnival (festival) also works well. The denser squashes don't work as well, as they are a bit too, well, pumpkin-y. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup

ingredients:

4 Carnival, Sweet Dumpling or Delicata Squash

2 large red peppers

2 medium yellow onions

2 medium-large tomatoes

6-8 garlic cloves

olive oil

1-1/2 to 2 Quarts chicken broth (or veggie)

1/4 t. each dried basil & oregano (to taste)

1/8-1/4 t. red pepper flakes (or more for greater heat!)

1 t. salt

15 grinds black pepper

method:

Cut squash in quarters, scoop out seeds and steam for 20-30 minutes until soft. Remove and let cool 10 minutes, then peel off skin. While squash is cooking, cut seeded red peppers into flat sections, lay on cookie sheet with skin up and roast under broiler until charred. Cover with a towel and let cool, then remove skin and rough chop. 

Heat a large heavy soup pot and saute yellow onion cut into chunks (cut in half and then cut that into eighths) until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add rough chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add in the cooked squash, skinned peppers and chopped tomatoes (peel if desired). Add spices, salt and pepper. If you want a curry soup, instead of basil and oregano, use cumin and a curry mix. Then cover with broth slightly above level of veggies in pot. More liquid will make a thinner soup, less will make it thicker. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and blend mixture with a stick blender. (Or carefully blend in blender in small batches. Cover blender top with towel to prevent hot liquid spraying out.) Serve with warm bread or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serves 5-6.