Now, I've only made soup at home a couple of times, and am fairly new to the whole thing, but this was by far our favorite yet, and it was so creamy and tasty. It was like chili too - even better the next day.
This was also my first experience cooking with leeks. I've had leeks before, but have never purchased one to cook with. All I can say is that when it comes to soup, onions better watch themselves, they've got some competition from the leeks.
I think soup and local crusty bread are becoming a Saturday tradition. I am going to have to expand our soup repertoire so we don't get burnt out on any one kind. Soup varieties in the works: Pumpkin Soup, Minestrone, Some Bean Soup (hopefully I'll come up with a better name), and Leek and Potato Soup. And these are just the ideas I've had so far. I see many cold, blustery Saturday evenings made better by tasty homemade soup and local Uprise Bakery bread this winter.
Anywho...
The local booty legend:
no asterisk = grocery store
+ = The Root Cellar
* = farmer's market
** = CSA
*** = Container or Community Garden
**** = the non-profit buying club, Blue Planet or Purcell Mountain Farms
You know, soup is flippin' hard to get a good picture of. Especially light colored soups!
"Cheesy" Delicata Squash and Potato Soup
1 delicata squash, halved with seeds and stringy parts discarded *
2 large carola (or yukon gold) potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks *
1 leek, sliced (white parts only) *
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped *
1 tbsp safflower oil
1 cup plain hempmilk
1 cup water
4 tbsp nutritional yeast (nooch)
1-2 tsp ground mustard
1 tbsp shoyu (or other soy sauce)
a couple of dashes of dried basil
black pepper
salt
Preheat oven to 400.
Spray delicata halves with safflower or other oil spray.
Place cut side up in a baking dish. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until really soft. Let cool.
Meanwhile, heat a medium pot of water on the stove top. Add the potatoes and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain water.
Heat safflower oil in a small skillet. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Scoop delicata flesh into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until really smooth.
Return to the stove and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Serve with warm, crusty bread!
Oh my goodness, I never thought soup could be this good.
'Til next time.
12 comments:
Now THAT'S a fantastic soup variety - yum!
Mmmm. Looks great! I wish I could get my hubby to eat soup, but oh well - the more for me :)
Yum! I'm gonna have to try this! I really miss cheese soup...when I was a kid, I used to LOVE the canned Campbell's cheese soup...which I often ate cold (I know, gross, but I was a weird kid). I've also never tried delicata squash, but noticed some in Whole Foods the other day....so this would be an excellent way to use it.
delicata is my favorite kind. i love soups & chili during this cold months.
You are so right about leeks! The only thing that I like onions better for is that they keep longer. Well, they are cheaper too.
hooray for more fantastically tasty soup! yay! dan's actually making us a soup tonight for his thursday night dinner - i can't wait!
delicata squash is hands down my favorite squash. i just love it. and it really is kinda cheesy tasting, too! mmmmmmmm! your soup paired with some local crusty bread sounds fantastical! the local bakery here is downtown and too far for me to drive for a loaf, so i'm totally going to have to see about attempting to make a crusty bread for some soup one day, too! it sounds like such a wonderful, warming meal! oh my goodness! hooray! :)
Veggie Girl - It was really tasty. Thanks!
Heather - Thank you. Brett and I weren't very big soup eaters until pretty recently since we've been trying to make it from scratch at home. Maybe he'll come around to its wonderfulness one day. Otherwise, as you say - more for you!
Bianca - I don't honestly think I've ever had cheese soup. I really liked how creamy this was, and it was "cheesy" in a subtle way, not an "artificial, in your face" kind of way. I had to distinguish 'cause I've had some pretty awful faux cheeses before.
Cold, wowsa! We all have our own oddities though. I know I do at least.
They are really good squash. They are also one of the few winter squashes whose skins are edible.
Selina - They are really awesome, aren't they. I agree about the soup and chili!
Erik - Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that! They do keep longer and are cheaper - good point. For the creamy soups though, I think I'm going to go with the leek from now one.
Jessy - Hehe, thank you. I can't wait to see what kind of soup he makes you guys. I think that it is super awesme that he is going to be making dinner on Thursdays now. Brett is actually making dinner tonight, we are having frozen pizza. ;-)
I thought it might even make an interesting pasta sauce, but I haven't been brave enough to try something like that yet.
Our local bakery is downtown too - but I work at the University of Missouri, which is also located downtown. I actually walk almost right by it on my way to the bus station every day. So if I cut my lunch a little short and pop out of the office a little early, I can even stop there on my way home from work. They've had a stand at the farmer's market this season, so that is where we have gotten most of their bread from.
Wow, homemade ciabatta or other crusty bread? Now THAT would be an impressive feat!
this sounds excellent. I had soup for dinner, but I could definitely eat a bowl of yours!
Lisa - Thanks. Fall seems to be the time when soup is "all the rage". I myself can't seem to get enough of it!
Great recipe. Leeks are a fantastic soup ingredient, and very Welsh. With onions and potatoes, they make our traditional leek and onion soup.
Cookiemouse - Thanks, it was really tasty. I didn't know leeks were Welsh - neat! I actually made some vegan leek and potato soup this weekend, I will be posting about it sometime this week!
I don't like soups pretty much, but I found something special in this one... Since I started to read ingredients and how to prepare it I start to feel an intense desire to taste it (a food craving).
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