Category Archives: Soups and Stews

Secret Ingredient Beef and Vegetable Stew

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Happy New Year, all!  If the frigid temperatures in the Northeast didn’t clue you in, it’s January.  As is the case each year at this time, I have given some thought to what changes and improvements I’d like to make for the coming year.  There are some that seem to be reoccurring (less shopping, more saving; less worrying, more meditating; less technology, more sleeping… ironic that I’m blogging about using less technology, right?)

But I find I’m more of a “decision” kind of a girl than a “resolution” one.  Decisions require action; resolutions require desire.  Action tends to yield far better results than willfully wishing for better days ahead.

The decisions I have made around food involve consuming less meat, a further dedication to seasonal eating, and a commitment to savoring the process as much as the result.  Seems fitting that I’d start the New Year with a lighter version of one of my favorite winter comfort foods.

Any time I see the words “Secret Ingredient,” my curiosity is peaked.  Sure, sometimes that secret ingredient is the ubiquitous use of espresso powder in brownies but often it is something I hadn’t thought of.

This stew’s secret ingredient is anchovy, which is melted into the base and lends a briny, buttery undertone to the dish.  Since I’ve made a decision to use less meat, I’ve scaled back on the portion, and doubled the amount of mushrooms and carrots.  Mushrooms add a meaty flavor and texture while keeping the stew light. With salty anchovies, rich tomato paste, bright tomatoes, and loads of vegetables, you wind up with a very flavorful stew that makes the most out of the caramelized beef and juices.  This is a comforting supper for your family, but glistening and showered with fresh parsley, elegant enough to serve for a dinner party (bonus:  it’s better made a day ahead of time).

This New Year, let’s resolve to make less resolutions, decide to make more decisions, and contemplate it all over a steaming bowl of beef and vegetable stew.IMG_2702

 

 

SECRET INGREDIENT BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW

Adapted from Food 52

SERVES 8-10

 

3- 4lbs. beef stewing meat, cut into 2-3 inch pieces

1/3 cup mixed olive and canola oil

2 leeks, washed well and cut thinly

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 carrots, diced

5 celery ribs, diced

8 ounces white mushrooms, quarted

¼ cup tomato paste

2 anchovies

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

3 cups beef broth

1 cup canned whole tomatoes with juices

3 bay leaves

3/4 teaspoons dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1/3 cup chopped parsley

 

Season the beef with salt and pepper on both sides. Brown the meat in batches in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven over high heat, adding more oil as needed. Remove to a plate.

Lower the heat and add all the vegetables. Cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and anchovies and cook to melt the anchovies and distribute.

Add the beef back in, with its juices. Add the wine, vinegar, and tomatoes with juice (breaking them up against the side of the pot as you go) and bring to a boil. Add the stock to cover (you may need a bit more than 3 cups). Put in the salt, bay leaf, thyme, bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

When cool, skim off much of the fat from the top. Reheat over low heat, letting the stew simmer 30-45 minutes before serving.

Mix in half of the parsley and garnish with the rest

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

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Take a look at the ingredients below.  Take a good, long look.

Okay, you’re probably done.

There are two ingredients in the soup itself:  cauliflower and onion.  I, too, was skeptical of how this soup could be as creamy and full-bodied as was promised with so few players.  I was skeptical, that is, until I saw that this was a recipe from Paul Bertolli.

Paul Bertolli spent over 20 years making culinary magic at Chez Pannise under Alice Waters, and Oliveto, both in California.  If there is anyone that can bring a humble vegetable to white-glove status, it is Chef Bertolli.

I learned of this soup in late September and have made it 6 times since.  The stewing technique used here softens the cauliflower in the most gentle way, coaxing rather than hammering the flavor out.  The result is a satin smooth texture and cauliflower that tastes like the most cauliflower-est cauliflower you’ve ever had.  (I’ve thought of how to describe the taste more articulately, other words sound more eloquent but none are more accurate.)

Another wonderful thing about this soup is that, like with most soups, it is even best made ahead of time and therefore ideal for entertaining.  On that note, the true exclamation point for this soup was when my friend Clare and I served this at a very elegant dinner party we were private chefs for.  Clare suggested adding Brussels sprout leaves and almonds for crunch and beauty, both of which these two simple garnishes provide.  We served many interesting courses that night, but the dish that may have been praised most was this silken soup.  We heard more grumbles of affection over cauliflower than salted caramel ice cream.

Need I say more?

 

 

Silken Cauliflower Soup with Seared Brussels Sprout Leaves and Crushed Almonds

Adapted from Paul Bertolli

Serves 8

 

For the soup:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin

1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets

5 1/2 cups water, divided

Salt, to taste

 

 

For garnish:

½ cup lightly sautéed Brussels sprout leaves

5 roasted almonds, chopped

 

Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.

Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup if necessary.

Serve hot, garnished with a few Brussels Sprout leaves and chopped almond pieces per serving.

 

*My Two Cents:  Feel free to leave off the suggested garnishes and simply drizzle with great extra virgin olive oil and shower with freshly cracked pepper.  This is, in fact, what Chef Bertolli does.

Other great garnishes would include frizzled shallots, garlicky croutons, or fried herbs

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

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A few weeks ago, I was headed out to CT to visit my dear friend Elissa, and her daughter Ava, and I was on a mission.  You see, both daughter and mother were sick and I was just the friend who would swoop in there with my gingham cape, cook up a storm, and nurse them back to health.  Turns out, there was a problem.

I was sick, too.

I agreed to still come out (even having a cold is more fun with friends, provided they don’t run the risk of being recruited from Team Healthy to Team Sick), but resolved to the fact that I would not be my politely force-feeding self.  I just didn’t have it in me.

This was the soup I dreamt of making for my girls, and since I had the ingredients set to fulfill their destinies I cooked it up that following week, as soon as I felt the veil of lethargy lift.   It turned out to be good timing, too, as this is the sort of soup that restores you.  It is creamy, warm, a little spicy and sweet.  It satisfies your hunger and embraces your chilled bones.  It is the most delicious kind of medicinal.

You will want to make this all season long: healthy, sick, alone, or sandwiched between friends and family you love.

As for my culinary-inspired trip to CT, we subsisted on an artisanal orange juice known as Tropicana, and a lovely, syrupy drink known as Robitussin.  It was divine.

 

Sweet Potato Soup with Apple, Ginger, and Toasted Pepitas

Adapted from “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” by Amy Traverso.

Yield: 6 cups
1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
½ lb. baby-cut carrots
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 inch-long piece ginger, peeled and cut into medium chunks
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup apple cider

Optional garnish:  1/4 cup pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, carrots and apple with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange on a foil-lined sheet pan (shiny side up) and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to a pot and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, bay leaf and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until the onions just begin to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, broth and cider, stir, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf from the pot and use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, process the soup in three batches to avoid splattering hot liquid. Return the pureed soup to the pot, taste for seasoning, and serve garnished with pepitas if desired.

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

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There are some dishes you come across that change your life.

Dramatic?  Not for me.

Isn’t life ultimately about love?  How to give it freely, how to open ourselves more fully every day to receive it?  Isn’t it about using gifts and passions of ours to show the people in our lives that they matter?  Isn’t it about consumption, creation, learning, and giving?

Well, this is at the heart of my love of cooking.  I love cooking because I love people.

When I tasted the inspiration for this soup at what has quickly become my favorite new restaurant in Brooklyn, Parish Hall, I immediately knew that I wanted everyone I loved to experience it.  It was sweet, thoughtful, and vibrant.  It was so much more than the sum of its parts.

I went to work creating my version of this special soup, swapping walnut oil in for the authentic squash seed oil, and leaving texture in the base rather than pureeing and straining it completely smooth.  I knew that the Parish Hall Chef had used a Vitamix Blender to get that velvety texture, but this should be something anyone could make at home.

I wanted this to be a beautiful, and considerate first course that felt simultaneously homey and elegant.  I wanted this to show that every day is an opportunity to create something, taste something, share something, and maybe even change your life.  Each time my meals are met with broad smiles and grateful hearts, that’s precisely what happens.

 

Chilled Sweet Corn Soup with Blackberries, Basil, and Walnut Oil

Serves: 6

 

12 ears of corn, corn stripped from the cobs

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoons butter

¾ cup heavy cream

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup blackberries, halved

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, torn

walnut oil, for serving

 

You first need to make the stock:  Place corncobs and 14 cups cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 1⁄2 hours.  Discard cobs, and reserve stock in separate bowl.

In the empty stockpot, sweat shallots with butter and ½ tsp salt over medium-low heat until translucent, 5-6 minutes.

Add corn kernels and sauté for 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Add corn stock, and bring up to a boil over high heat.

Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  Lastly, add the cream and stir briefly to combine.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender to desired texture.  Transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate until cold.

To serve, ladle soup in serving bowls and garnish with blackberries, basil, and a drizzle of walnut oil.

Creamy, Briny, Perfect New England Clam Chowder

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I have an issue with Manhattan clam chowder.  Well, not so much an issue as a “why bother” attitude.

Manhattan is good for many things:  Broadway theater, ambitious career pursuits, 5 star shopping, my list is lengthy.  However, the subpar tomato-based version of New England clam chowder is not on it.

I want my clam chowder one way and that is creamy, briny, chunky and hot.  If you’re on board with me, you need to try this rendition of Martha’s Classic Clam Chowder.  Using shell-on clams to create your own stock is a no brainer way to impart tons of seafood flavor, and the freshness of the ingredients really speaks for itself.  The recipe is derived from her newest (and in my opinion, BEST) cookbook, Martha’s American Food.  In it, our great country is broken down into regions where the deep-rooted culinary traditions are explored and shared.  You can take my word for it, or you can purchase it HERE.

When I was coming home to surprise my father last weekend, I knew to make this chowder for him.  With the back porch freshly painted and the Summer’s eyelids fluttering, it was time to pay homage to all that is good and true in New England.

After each of us practically licked our bowls clean, we agreed that this chowder was indeed everything that chowder should be.  Moreover, It had a strong hand in making our late-August alfresco dinner everything that summer should be.

No offense, Manhattan.

 

 

Classic New England Clam Chowder

Adapted from Martha’s American Food

SERVES 4-8

 

5 dozen littleneck clams, picked over (discard any with broken shells)

3 cups water

1 ounce bacon, cut into 2-inch strips

½ large onion, cut into small dice (1 cup)

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (2 cups)

1 sprig thyme

1 dried bay leaf

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup heavy cream

 

Under cool running water, scrub clams with a stiff sponge or vegetable brush.  Combine clams and 3 cups water in a medium pot, cover, and bring to a boil.  Cook until clams have opened, 5-6 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove clams, discarding any that remain closed.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or paper towel, into a large measuring cup or a bowl.  You should have 4 cups broth, but if you do not, add water to equal this.  When clams are cool enough to handle, remove meat from shells and coarsely chop.  Discard shells.

Rinse and dry the pot.  Cook bacon over medium heat until it starts to crisp and some of the fat has rendered, about 4-5 minutes.  Add onion, cook until translucent stirring frequently.  This will take another 3-4 minutes.

Return strained broth to the pot along with the potato, thyme, and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender but not falling apart, 6-8 minutes.  If desired, you can mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the broth slightly.

Stir in clams and cream and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute.  You do not want the soup to boil.  Season if desired, and serve immediately.

 

Tomato-Melon Gazpacho with Basil

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I’m going to say it:  I find fault with what many of us have come to regard as classic gazpacho.  I mean, I get the whole “tomato salad as a soup” thing, but I’ve never been able to get excited about it.  When you take a base of raw tomato, celery, herbs, and vinegar you wind up with a pureed version of a salad I wouldn’t necessarily be fond of either, containing whole tomato seeds and a raw texture that borders on gritty.  If you’ve found the same to be true, I urge you to think outside the box and start with this ingeniously simple gazpacho brought to us by Mark Bittman, the ultimate glorified minimalist.  I first discovered this recipe about 5 years ago, and though I practice seasonal gazpacho promiscuity, this is one I make with great frequency.

A few things set this soup apart:

1)    Tomatoes are combined with sweet melon to create a naturally sweet and creamy soup, that is the perfect, glistening apricot hue

2)    Both the tomatoes and melon are briefly sautéed to coax out the natural juices and get the raw edge off

3)    The tomatoes are peeled and seeded (yes, this means an extra step but the skins are bitter and the seeds are impossible to puree, so it’s really necessary to make this soup what it is), leaving nothing but the succulent flesh to be pureed into creamy deliciousness.  Here is how I do it:

Core them by cutting a small divot out of the stem end of the tomato; then make a small ”x” in the skin of the opposite end. Prepare an ice bath, and then plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 10 or 15 seconds. Quickly remove the tomatoes and drop into the ice bath.  When cooled off, peel the skins with a small paring knife, cut in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds.  I learned in school to use the back end of a soup spoon to scoop out the tomato cavities, it is the quickest way to get the job done.

This is a soup that takes a bit of planning as it must be very cold when served.  Because it is so creamy and mild, this makes it taste like the best savory/sweet summer milkshake you could imagine.

TOMATO-MELON GAZPACHO

By Mark Bittman, The New York Times 1999

SERVES 4-6

 

4 tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, blanched as directed above

1 3-pound cantaloupe

5 tablespoons olive oil

10 leaves basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of a lemon.

Core, peel and seed tomatoes; cut flesh into 1-inch chunks. Seed melon, and remove flesh from rind; cut into chunks. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in each of two 10- or 12-inch skillets and turn heat under both to high. Add melon to one and tomatoes to the other, and cook, stirring, until they become juicy, no longer than 2 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree melon with tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and basil, along with some salt and pepper. Stir in remaining olive oil. Chill, add lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

Pureed Watercress and Pear Soup (With a little Irish luck)

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For years, St. Patrick’s Day meant green Guinness, “Kiss Me I’m Irish” tank tops, and heavy slabs of corned beef.  For many people it still does and perhaps always should. I have enjoyed the traditional, jovial festivities of this excuse-to-be-rowdy holiday as much as the next person, but this year I wanted to ring in the holiday representative of my heritage with a bit more finesse.

Technically, spring will not be visiting us for another week, but the air lately tells me spring may already be here.  My spirit has turned it’s back, temporarily, to the long braises and roasted root vegetables suited for the doldrums of winter.  My heart has turned towards new life and new foods to embrace.  This spicy, silky, elegant soup is a charming way to celebrate it all.  Rather than cooking the watercress, I chose to wilt it in the blender with the hot stock to retain its bright color and fresh taste.  The tarragon adds a faint licorice to the background and it’s all mellowed out and finished with a bit of cream.

Try this for a first course at your St. Patrick’s Day dinner, or a leisurely lunch to remind you of the simple pleasures of the season to come.  Of course, corned beef and cabbage will still be on my menu, with plenty of smashed potatoes and caraway-studded Irish Soda Bread toasted with butter to finish it off. After all, my parents named me Kathleen.  I have a reputation to uphold.

 

 

PUREED WATERCRESS AND PEAR SOUP

SERVES 4-6

 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large white onion, chopped

5 cups watercress (2 bunches)

2 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled and medium diced

1 quart low sodium vegetable stock

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup light cream, plus additional for drizzling

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon lemon juice

 

In a large saucepan or stockpot, melt the butter over low heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, for 15 minutes until translucent and soft.

While the onion cooks, cut the thicker, bottom half of the watercress stalks off and discard.  Reserve a few small, dainty sprigs of watercress with shamrock-like leaves to garnish the soup for serving.  Roughly chop the 5 cups of watercress and set aside.

Add the pear and vegetable stock to the pot with the onion.  Add the cayenne, thyme and salt and bring it all up to a boil.

Lower heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook soup for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.  Working in at least three batches, add warm soup, tarragon, chives and watercress to a blender.  Blend on low until the soup is pureed a bit, then blend on high for at least 1 minute until only small specks of dark green remain and the texture resembles that of heavy cream.  Taste and see if it needs lemon juice or salt.  If so, add them in now.

When the soup is all pureed, add back to the pot.  Stir in the cream and taste one more time for seasoning.

Serve in soup bowls, drizzled with a bit of cream and garnished with the pretty, reserved watercress sprigs.

 

*My Two Cents:  As the soup sits in your fridge, ready for leftovers, it will probably thicken up on you.  When reheating, thin it out with water or vegetable stock if desired.

A sprinkling of parmesan cheese, chopped chives or crème fraiche can be used to garnish if you’re so inclined.  I happen to like the swirls of cream in the presentation that hint at what’s gone into the soup.

Other greens such as leeks or spinach can be made into a lovely and light green soup.  I would cook these for at least ten minutes in the broth and omit the pear if I were making other variations.

Pureed soups are a favorite of mine and I cook them all year long, swapping the ingredients for what’s in season and tempting at the market.  I will be making a chilled Puree of Carrot Soup with Ginger very soon, when the warm weather sticks around, so stay tuned.

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

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RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

In a recent discussion regarding the growing popularity of comfort food, specifically in New York City, Queer Eye For the Straight Guy alum and culinary enthusiast Ted Allen stated it perfectly.

“No one needs a hug like a New Yorker.”

Comfort Food has certainly become trendy lately. Perhaps it is an opportunity to temporarily escape toilsome financial and political times and find a glimpse of solace in a warm, flaky biscuit.  Perhaps it represents a renewed appreciation for simplicity, honesty and refuge.  Perhaps, today, we crave not to be impressed but to be nurtured.  Whatever the case, I am pleased that food’s healing powers are being honored.

This is not your average lentil soup.  It is gentle, but complex; brothy but hearty.  The French technique called Pincage, which refers to briefly cooking and caramelizing the highly concentrated tomato paste, imparts deep flavor while the partial puree results in a superb texture.  The chili powder offers punch and the lemon supplies just the right amount of acid to make this soup lively and taste fresh.

This New Yorker welcomes a hug like this one, even if I have to give it to myself.

 

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Adapted from NY Times, 2009, by Melissa Clark

SERVES 4-5

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup red lentils

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.  Garnish with cilantro.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.

Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Yogurt and Curried Squash Seeds

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ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH YOGURT AND CURRIED SQUASH SEEDS

I moved to New York City in February of 2011 after having lived in South Florida for four years.  I couldn’t wait to get out my stockpot and dutch oven and start making bubbly soups and stews again.  They aren’t outlawed in Florida, mind you, but felt terribly innapropriate under the blistering sunrays that practically forced me to wear sunglasses indoors.  Vegetable purees are versatile, comforting and even healthy when made without cream, as this delicious squash soup is.  Feel free to swap in any root vegetable you fancy; parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, they’re all great prepared this way.  I am happy to say that I have now been making cold weather soups for a year now, and while I used to lay on the beach dreaming of being snowed in, I in fact do the opposite now from time to time. I think this puts me back in line with the rest of the human race.

 ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH YOGURT AND CURRIED SQUASH SEEDS

SERVES 4

1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled and largely diced

1 large onion, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups vegetable broth

1 T fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 T curry powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Greek yogurt, for serving

* I garnished my soup with a few of the squash seeds.  This can be done by rinsing the seeds thoroughly, tossing with olive oil, salt and curry powder and baking in a 275 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large bowl, combine squash, garlic cloves and onion.  Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, add curry powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss the vegetables in the oil and transfer to a large baking sheet.

Bake for about 50 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and caramelized.  Let everything cool for about 10 minutes. Put the vegetables into a blender or food processor and add the vegetable broth. You will need to do this in batches to get the smoothest puree. Puree the vegetables and broth until your soup is silky and very smooth. Transfer everything to a large pot to heat and bring back to a simmer.

 Serve garnished with Greek yogurt and sprinkled with seeds, if desired.