B's "Cheesy" Delicata Squash and Potato Soup

We had another "soup night" over this past weekend and I must say, for a "theoretical" soup, this turned out oh so well. The idea for this soup was Brett's. He thought that delicata squash tastes ever-so-slightly "cheesy" and that it would make a great "cheesy" style soup. Boy was he right. I helped "fill in the details" of the recipe and did the actual preparation, but the overall idea was most definitely his.

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.