One dish my dad and I love to prepare this time of year is squash soup. It was a tough decision in the past, because he and I were the only ones who really enjoyed it. Growing up, my brothers were so much younger (by six and nine years) that the flavor didn't appeal to them. My mom wasn't crazy about eating a sweet soup either. In her mind, soup should be savory--like the gumbo she grew up with in the south--and squash soup was a strange anomaly that rebelled against her philosophy and taste. Squash soup was right up there with tapioca, or fish eyes and glue, as she used to call it.
I've come to realize that cooking is not just an art for my dad, but also a form of love and service. Because he had a philosophy that we ate meals as a family and we ate what he put on the table, he usually preferred to make dishes that everyone would enjoy, not just one person. But when I came home from my first year of college and proclaimed that I was a vegan, holidays got a bit more complicated. Suddenly, he had a family member who couldn't eat turkey or the other meats he usually prepared with such love. Suddenly he had to figure out how to serve just me.
Looking back, I think it's partly why I love squash soup so much. It's not just the creamy texture, the vibrant color of fall leaves, or the perfume and taste of autumn that lingers long after I've finished. There's something more emotional behind my attachment. It's about remembering being a young woman, trying out a new identity, even rebelling a bit against my father's cuisine.
I remember my father's face when I told him about my decision to be vegan, the look of disappointment and the sense of rejection. My dad is very emotionally connected to his food, and in a sense, rejecting his food was a way of rejecting him. We also used to be conspirators in the kitchen: I watched him cook, I listened to his stories about cooking, I ate everything he made with gusto. By choosing to be vegan, I'd abandoned him for my own path. I'd chosen to eat on my terms, not his.
I wasn't sure what my dad would do after I told him; in truth, I was a bit scared. But he recovered after a while and announced that he would make a big bowl of squash soup to substitute for my portion of turkey. I distinctly remember breathing a sigh of relief, and eating my bowl of soup at Thanksgiving dinner with an extra helping of gratitude.
Now that I'm a bit older, I understand just what that squash soup meant. By making that soup, my dad gave me the gift of my independence by allowing me to experiment with a path that went against his. He let me be me, and instead of protesting, he made an individual dish so I would feel included. To him, that bowl of squash soup was an act of love.
Okay, now I need some kleenex.
This is a very simple version of that squash soup, fast and easy. There are ten million varieties of this soup and incredible things you could add (like this recipe with sage), but if you just have a few ingredients in the house or want to keep it simple (and more Italian, though this soup isn't really Italian) than give this one a go. I'll add variations at the bottom--feel free to add yours!
Simple Squash Soup
Servings: Three medium-sized soup bowls
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (approx. 500 g) of peeled fall squash (weighed after peeling); delicata, pumpkin, acorn, and butternut squash are my favorites.
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 an onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 Tbs of olive oil, more if needed
- Vegetable broth or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- G-Spot Ingredient: Freshly grated parmesan
Saute the onions in olive oil until almost translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the potato and saute for a few minutes, then add the baked or raw squash and coat with oil and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add your hot water or broth, enough to cover the squash. While cooking, continue to add or cook down the broth until the soup is the flavor you like, and add salt to taste. I don't like watery soup; I like mine a bit thicker. So I tend to drain out a lot of broth into a cup before blending, so I can add it back in if I like, or use what remains as a tasty broth for rice the next day.
Blend the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender. After blending, add a tablespoon of parmesan, some croutons if you like, a quick drizzle of olive oil, and some black pepper. Serve hot.
Buon Appetito!
Variations:
I am crazy for Thai food, so I highly recommend this recipe (and this blog) for Thai-spiced pumpkin soup: 101 Cookbooks' Thai Curry Soup Recipe.
You can also try adding cinnamon and a bit of milk to the soup at the end (make sure you keep it really thick so adding milk doesn't make it too watery). You can also add curry and coconut milk for a more Indian inspired version like this recipe at Allrecipes.com or this one at Epicurious.
Add your own variations in the comments below!
My eldest daughter and I love pumpkin soup, so we usually inflict it on the rest of the family at least once in the autumn. I have a pressure cooker recipe which includes rice and milk so it becomes a complete meal. I also find a short blast in the microwave helps to peel the pumpkin. What are your feelings about pressure cookers and microwaves? Are you a purist in the kitchen?:-)
ReplyDelete..and I want to meet your dad!..
Claire--you just let me know if you'd like pumpkin soup next week sometime...I often add milk, or I also love to add coconut milk. I went to a small veggie market for the pumpkin and the guy peeled it for me! But I usually bake it and then peel it off easily--baking it seems to make it yummier. As for purism...I don't use a microwave (I explain why in detail if ya like) but pressure cookers are AWESOME! I actually don't really know how to use it though--wanna show me?
ReplyDeleteAlso--share your pressure cooker recipe!
And--dad is coming next spring, I think...we have to have a neighborhood feast!
p.s. Yay for my first comment ever on my blog!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe that's your first comment - I've only been looking through your blog for 5 mins and I've got LOADS to say, but I'm holding back!
ReplyDeleteHere's the pressure cooker recipe:
0.5l milk
300g pumpkin
1.5l water
1 potato
maggiorana (I think that's origano)
150g rice
parmesan
butter
salt and pepper
Put the pressure cooker on the gas with the milk, water, salt and finely chopped maggiorana. Add the cubed pumpkin and the whole peeled potato. Cook for 15 mins under pressure. Re-open cooker, mash the potato and pumpkin and add the rice. Close again and cook for 6-8 mins. Finally, add a knob of butter and LOTS of grated parmesan, season to taste.
Sorry - I don't know the conversions and I'm translating the recipe from Italian so I hope it's clear in English!!!
P.S. Yes to pumpkin soup some time next week!!
Ooo...I have to try it! Yum!
ReplyDeleteAnd PLEASE don't hold back--I'd love to hear all of your loads of things to say! :)