Up until this soup came into my life, I had no idea how delicious a member of the squash family could be. 25 years ago I attended a retreat where the Oregon hills rise above the Columbia River, a magical place where grand old trees seem to whisper their secrets in the wind and chefs can be persuaded to share their most cherished recipes. My family knows it’s officially fall when this amazing soup comes to our table.
Butternut Pear Soup
1 large onion (285 g), diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T (26 g) packed brown sugar
2 T (12 g) ground cumin
1 T (8 g) ground cinnamon
6 cups (1.4 Kg) vegetable stock
1 butternut squash, (800 g or 6 cups) peeled, cored and diced
3-4 ripe pears (500 g after peeling, coring and dicing
Garnishes:
Sour cream
2 tsp. curry powder
Pumpkin seeds, toasted and salted
Oil squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400°F oven between 22-25 minutes or until soft.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir often until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic, cumin and cinnamon and stir for a few seconds. Add vegetable stock, brown sugar, squash and pears. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pears are tender, about 20 minutes.
Puree in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Add more stock as needed to thin to proper consistency. Taste soup and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Mix together curry powder and sour cream. Garnish each serving with the sour cream and pumpkin seeds.
This much loved recipe comes from the Menucha Kitchen
