Time for Fall: Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin (or Squash) Soup

We've been enjoying this delicious soup for decades, so I thought it was time to share. You can use pumpkin or any orange squash such as acorn or maybe even butternut. This year, I used organic pumpkin from our CSA. The pumpkin was the brightest orange I have ever seen. We saved some of the seeds, so perhaps we will be growing some of our own next season!

Enjoy the soup, serve it to friends, smile, and be sure to let us know about your creative variations!


Indian-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Servings: 8–10

For soup:
3 cups pumpkin or similar squash
2 cups Veggie stock (or water) [depending on desired

consistency]
1 cup orange juice
2 T olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed (or 1 tsp pre-minced garlic)
6 oz sliced mushrooms
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp fresh grated ginger (or ¾ tsp ground ginger)
¼ tsp dry mustard
½–1 tsp salt

For serving:
2-3 Tbsp toasted, sliced almonds
¼ c plain yoghurt
a few dashes of cayenne

Preparation
Cut squash in half or quarters as needed to bake. Bake face down in 375-degree oven on oiled tray or in an inch of water ‘til done (about 30–40 minutes). Cool and scoop out insides to gather 3 cups of squash or pumpkin. Blend squash with (some or all of) water or stock and puree until smooth and at desired thickness. Combine squash, stock and juice in soup pot.

In a skillet, heat oil. Sautee onions and garlic until onions are very soft. Add mushrooms, cover and cook 10 minutes more. Add sauté pan contents to soup pot. Heat together very gently, stirring as needed to prevent sticking on bottom of pot. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

To serve:
Pour soup into bowl or mug. Top with a couple shakes of cayenne, a dollop of yoghurt, and about 1/4 teaspoon of toasted almonds.

Serve with crusty bread, salad, and your favorite cheese or sliced avocado.

Yummy!

You can see Russia from my kitchen: Beet Borscht Recipe

In my vocational and volunteer travels, I tutored Olga in English when she first came to the US many, many years ago. She was delightful and taught me so much about what it means to start a new life in a new country; we became good friends, for which I remain grateful. Here's my version of her version of that Russian favorite, the refreshing cold beet soup known as borscht.

With all the fresh beets available for locavores, this recipe should come in pretty handy. If you're someone who doesn't think they care for beets, I recommend you give this borscht recipe a try before you give up on such a healthy, colorful veggie.

Are you the type that likes to experiment and come up with improvements? Perhaps this brings back an alter heym memory or two? Your comments are most welcome!

****
Beet Borscht
Russian Cafe Version - With thanks to Olga
Servings: ~6-8

For broth:
3 bunches beets
10 c cold water to cover
1 t salt
1 T sugar
2 T vinegar (balsamic is good)

For topping (everything is optional except the dill and sour cream (for which you can,
however, substitute yoghurt):
¼ cucumber, diced
3 boiled eggs
½-1 c sour cream
2 green onions, diced small
1 sprig fresh dill
radishes chopped or cut into roses
boiled potatoes, quartered or diced

Prepare broth
Scrub beets well (do not peel), remove leaves (reserve for use in another recipe). Cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer about an hour until tender, adding water if necessary.

Remove beets from pot with slotted spoon. Rub off outer skin (discard) and grate beets, reserving liquid.

Bring liquid back to boil, then add grated beets, salt, sugar, vinegar. Boil 2 minutes more, then remove from heat. Chill well.

Assembly
In each bowl, place your choice of boiled potatoes, cucumber, beets; on top, add dollop of sour cream or yoghurt, chopped egg, dill, radish, green onion.

Serve very cold.

Enjoy!

Recession Recipe - Sock Soup

Need to make room in your sock drawer? Want to stretch those recession grocery dollars? Here's a recipe that might help you bag both those 'birds' with one stone!

This notorious recipe has been bandied about in my family since those tough times we now call The Great Depression. No family member around today has actually imbibed. Why don't you dig out your soup pot and tell the tale?

Disclaimer: try at your own risk!

Depression 'Sock' Soup

1 medium onion
3-4 chopped cloves of fresh garlic
2-3 pairs of old socks (laundered, of course!)
8 cups water

Toss first 3 ingredients into a soup pot. Add water. Bring to low boil over medium heat. Simmer 'til done. Discard socks. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into ramekins (that's all they had back then. Ramekins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; filled with sock soup).

Up next: shoe-leather steak sandwiches!