This recipe for Summer Squash Soup is perfect for a midsummer luncheon on the porch. Serve with a mesclun salad with lemon and olive oil dressing and a hearty baguette.
Yield:
6 servingsIngredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds summer squash, sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 cups water or homemade vegetable or chicken stock, divided
3/4 cup light cream
Kosher or sea salt
Garnish: whole cilantro leaves and orange nasturtium blossoms
Instructions
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and cook onion and squash until softened and translucent — about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients plus fresh ginger. Add to onion-squash mixture. Add 1 cup water or stock and cook about 5 minutes. Add remaining liquid and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree until smooth. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt. If soup is too thick for your taste, thin with additional cream or stock. Ladle into six soup bowls and garnish with cilantro leaves and flowers.
