Simple, slightly creamy Butternut Squash Soup can be embellished for the holidays.
This simple, slightly creamy soup with a hint of clove that can be embellished for the holidays
Squashes are true natives of the New World, with research dating various species back thousands of years in the Americas. I’ve read that they were considered “the apples of God” by North American Indians, who had a strong belief that if planted close to settlements, they’d result in increased fertility. The modern butternut was developed in Massachusetts in the mid-20th century by crossing a Gooseneck and a Hubbard squash to achieve a sweet nuttiness with a buttery texture.
I had never seen a butternut until I came to the United States, and I immediately fell in love with it. It was one of the first vegetables I fed my children — simply roasted, mashed and drizzled with copious amounts of ghee. The sweet texture lends itself so well to warm, savory and pungent spices. Over the years, I’ve used them in different ways: adding large chunks to simple homemade dal (curried lentils) preparations, for example, or topping the roasted squash with a sprinkling of sharp cheese and roasted cumin seeds. Butternut also tastes great with dollops of plain yogurt, freshly ground black pepper and whatever fragrant herbs you have at hand — and makes a wonderful addition to meat stews or curries.
Here is a recipe for a simple, slightly creamy soup with a hint of clove that can be embellished for the holidays with the addition of lobster, shrimp or other seafood. The lentils add a depth of flavor, and the coriander tempering at the end adds a lemony note to contrast with the sweet butternut.