Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash
• Peanut or vegetable cooking oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai green curry paste
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut, almond or hazelnut butter
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Squeeze fresh lime juice

Crispy sage and pumpkin seed garnish

• Oil for frying
• 12 sage leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash crosswise into four wheels and coat any exposed surfaces lightly with the peanut oil. Place the sections on a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. (About 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the squash.) Allow to cool slightly.

With a spoon, scrape out the seeds and then scoop the flesh from the skin. Place the bright orange flesh in a food processor and puree until smooth. (You may do this step up to two days ahead and refrigerate the puree until you are ready to prepare the soup.)

In a heavy soup pot, sauté the garlic and ginger in about 3 tablespoons peanut oil for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir to blend.

Add the squash puree, broth, chili sauce, soy sauce, nut butter and black pepper and bring the soup to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, the cilantro and lime.

For Crispy Sage and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

In a small sauté pan, add enough oil to create a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until you see some movement on the surface. Fry the sage leaves, a few at a time, until crisp. Watch them carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Remove them to paper towels to drain.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Pour a swirl of coconut milk into each serving and scatter the crispy sage leaves and toasted pumpkin seeds on top.

Recipe by Lynne Vea, PCC Chef

Source: “Gardening with Ciscoe” December 9, 2006

ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea

Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.

Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.

She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.

Find more recipes from Lynne.

More about: coconut milk, winter squash