Today is soup week! Although I have made a few other soup recipes like this Vegan Tomato Soup, I don’t make much! Since moving to the East Coast I definitely eat more soup because well… the weather is much much colder. I’m working now for Crispina ffrench, a textile recycling designer who is based here in the Berkshires. She makes sweaters, skirts, backpacks, screen prints, blankets…tons of beautiful items made from recycled clothing. I take photos, I shoot and edit videos, and I help come up with some awesome ways to build her tribe.
I resonate a lot with Crispina because I’m also an advocate of sustainability, environmentalism, and recycling. (You should see all of the seltzer cans in my apartment – time to bring them in and recycle!) And her whole approach is to save, reuse, and/or recycle the goods that we can.
This week’s theme around the office, and on Crispina’s social media landscape, is SOUP! Crispina mentioned making a vegan delicata squash soup – so I decided I’d take that idea and come up with a recipe for all of you and all of her awesome peeps. Let’s build community, my friends. I’m also going to be making a Soup Cozy out of an old sweater following along with Crispina’s style – so stay tuned for that!
Let’s get started with our ingredients.
I used 2.5 lbs of delicata squash. I tend to make small portions because I live alone, and generally end up eating the leftovers the day after. This delicata squash soup recipe is easy to scale up for guests or family members. This is the perfect soup for fall and cold weather, because it’s warm, filling, and seasonal!
Next step, you’re going to preheat your oven to 350 F and scoop the seeds from your squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place face down on a greased, foil lined baking sheet.
Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and let rest so it’s not too hot to handle.
Next you’re going to cut your shallots in half lengthwise and heat a skillet to medium-high. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook until very browned and tender – for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir constantly. About halfway through, add another tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of water – careful of any splattering! And cover – simmer until soft, stirring constantly.
Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika for extra flavor!
Nice and browned!
Next, you’re going to scoop the flesh from the squash and place in a blender along with the shallots, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Start with 1 cup and add 1/4 cup until you get the consistency you like. I used 1 cup for this batch because I like my cold weather soups thick!
Pour into a pot after blending and heat on low, stirring constantly until warm.
And voila! Plate it in a beautiful bowl like this one from one of our favorite local potters Lorimer Burns, use a beautiful tablecloth (that isn’t actually a table cloth, it’s a picnic blanket!) to create a beautiful ambiance to eat this delicious meal. My favorite thing about this meal – local produce, artisan made picnic blanket by Crispina ffrench, and an artisan local pottery from Lorimer Burns. Local, local, local!
Ingredients
- - 2.5 lbs Delicata squash (3 small)
- - 2 Shallots
- - Bunch Basil
- - 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- - 1- 2 Cups Vegetable Broth
- - Salt to taste
- - Pepper to taste
- - 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Cut your squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the squash and place face down on a greased foil lined baking sheet. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
- Peel your shallots and cut in half lengthwise. Cut off the ends. Put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and heat to medium high. Once the oil is hot, place the shallots cut side down, and sprinkle with smoked paprika.
- Cook until VERY brown, turn down the heat to simmer, add in your second tbsp of olive oil and simmer. Add 1 tbsp water, cover, and let it cook for about 6 minutes until soft. There will likely be some moisture left, that's okay.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let cool before handling.
- Place squash, shallots, 1 cup broth, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt into a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add more broth if you'd like it thinner. I used 1 cup because I like my winter soups thicker and heftier.
- Transfer from blender to a saucepan and warm. Serve with julienned basil, fresh cracked pepper, and spicy toasted pepitas.
- To toast pepitas, place in a saucepan on medium. Add cayenne seasoning and salt, and toss until toasted.
- ENJOY!
