How a mystery delivery led to the best soup I’ve ever made!

A few weeks ago, I opened my door to find two cloth bags full of delicious vegetables - parsnips, carrots, rutabegas, ambercup squashes, beets, garlic, potatoes and onions.  There was also a newsletter from a local CSA (community supported agriculture) farm.  At first I thought perhaps the food was meant to be delivered to someone else in my building, but after calling the farm and checking on their website, I realized that they didn’t deliver.  Then I wondered if maybe someone was making a delivery to a neighbour and had gotten the apartment number wrong.  But with no method of contacting them, I didn’t know how to correct the mistake.  After 24 hours and no word, I thought that perhaps the vegetables were a random act of kindness.  Regardless, I decided at that point that the vegetables were mine to enjoy.  So thank you to my mystery vegetable delivery person!

I’ve made several delicious dishes with my mystery delivery, including two soups.  I first made a Carrot Parsnip Ginger soup, and I thought it was the best soup I’d ever made, until I made the Ambercup Squash soup, which trumped its deliciousness.  Both soups were absolutely spectacular, but the Ambercup Squash soup certainly triumphs over anything I’ve ever made before.  It was so good that I had three bowls in a row.  I’ve never eaten three bowls of soup at once before.

So here’s the recipe.  Unfortunately I didn’t track exactly how much spice I used, because when I cook, I just go by what feels right.  But I’ve tried to estimate.  Experiment and you’ll come to your own conclusions about what works.

image courtesy of www.beawkuchni.com

Amazing Ambercup Squash Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 medium red potatoes, cubed

1 medium Ambercup Squash

splash of cream (optional)

4 cups homemade chicken stock

1 tbsp curry (or less for those who don’t want too much spice)

1-2 tbsp fresh ginger (minced)

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp freshly grated whole nutmeg

1 cinnamon stick

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Prick the skin of the squash with a fork and place, whole, on a sheet pan in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. When done, skin will have begun to blister.  Remove squash from oven and slice in half.  Remove seeds with a spoon, preserving seeds if desired.  The squash should be soft enough that the flesh is easily removed and the skin peels off and flakes away.

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over low heat; cook onion, stirring occasionally, adding a little sprinkling of salt, approximately 1/2 tsp.  Add ginger, garlic and spices and stir.  Add the chicken stock, potato and squash.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, until the potato is cooked and flavours have blended together, about 1/2 hour.  Check seasoning, adding more salt or spices if desired.

Remove from heat,  let cool ever so slightly.  Remove cinnamon stick and blend in a blender in batches. Return to pot, warm and serve.  If desired, stir in a splash of cream (this is optional.)

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This soup is incredibly nutritious and very, very cheap to make.  It’s an ideal healthy and affordable dish for fall & winter.