In the Fall and early Winter, available produce changes. Sadly, real tomatoes go away and life becomes cherry tomatoes. Frozen corn and peas replace fresh. However, a few new items are worth attention. Gourds, yummy gourds, begin to show up. Sweet potatoes come to the market as well. The trick is using them for something other than pumpkin pies and baked acorn squash with butter and brown sugar.
Do not get me wrong. I love both of those dishes, but life should include more. Otherwise we are doomed to brown sugar sweet potato casserole with marshmallow for the rest of our lives.
Try this recipe for a fall or winter evening after work. It tastes as if you nursed it all day, it causes all the comfort food nerves to fire, and it fits the slow cooker paradigm.
Ingredients
One butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped in 2-3 inch chunks.
One small onion, diced.
Two Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped in 2-3 inch pieces.
One carrot, peeled and cut in 2 inch lengths.
3 to 6 cups vegetable stock.
2 cloves peeled garlic.
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar.
2 cups half and half.
1 rounded teaspoon high quality, mild curry powder.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method
Put the squash, onion, carrot, and apple in a small slow cooker crock. Add the garlic and enough stock to almost cover the ingredients.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Use a stick blender to puree the ingredients until smooth. Add the half and half and puree the mixture until very smooth. Taste. At that point, the soup will be a bit tannic (bitter). Add the sugar and blend again. Add the curry and blend. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer uncovered on high for about 30 minutes to an hour mellow the dairy taste.
Simmer uncovered on high for about 30 minutes to an hour mellow the dairy taste.
The goal is a barely sweet, savory soup in which the predominant taste is the squash and a mild hint of curry.
Serve with cheesy toast and enjoy.
