Winter
Melange
from
Jen Bernier
A Note from the Chef:
This is a hearty vegetarian (may sound like an oxymoron but it's not) stew that I invented when I was single and vegetarian. It keeps for a while in the refrigerator and gets better as it sits!
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Ingredients
* One large butternut squash, halved Directions
Heat the oven to 350, and cook the squash halves until tender. I usually put them face down in a baking dish in a bit of water for a half hour, then flip over to cook the rest of the way. Or, you can cook the squash in the microwave. When there are about 20 minutes to go on the squash, put the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots into boiling water and boil them until soft. When they are ready, strain them into a colander over a bowl. (You'll want to keep and reuse this water for the soup so as not to lose the vitamins! If you are using chicken stock instead of water, you can toss the water.) Then put the vegetables into a food processor with some of the water and process until mostly smooth. (It doesn't have to be perfect.) Microwave the apple in a bowl covered with saran wrap until softened, and then puree it in the food processor as well. Remove the butternut squash from the oven and let it cool. You can puree it or not, it's up to you. In a large pot, add the butter, and then add the garlic, onion and ginger, and sauté until soft. Add small amounts of the water or chicken stock and keep sautéing for several minutes so the flavors are well blended. Add the pureed vegetables and apple, along with more water (or chicken stock). Stir it all together, and add the sugar and spices. Let your soup simmer... the longer the better. Keep stirring periodically, and add more water or chicken stock if it's getting too thick. Enjoy! *********************
Additional Notes from the Chef: My boyfriend Michael calls it a "side dish" because he is a carnivore who believes no meal is complete without a piece of meat. If, like him, you don't like the idea of vegetarian foods, there are areas where you can substitute "heartier" non-vegetarian ingredients (like chicken stock instead of water; or to make it really decadent, you could puree the whole thing at the end and add cream), but I think it's great as-is. You can also make it vegan if you use margarine instead of butter. It is low calorie and low fat, and is very healthy. It is not low carb though. I don't think hearty winter foods are supposed to be low carb. I say add a chunk of crusty bread on the side, and enjoy. You can go to the gym tomorrow!
* Two or three large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
* Two large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
* Two or three large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
* One large apple (Fuji or granny smith are good), peeled and cut into chunks
* One bulb of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (Grate about a one inch cube. Buy it bigger though so you have something to hold while you grate it.)
* Two cloves of garlic, minced
* Half of a medium sized yellow or sweet onion, minced
* A couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, to taste
* A teaspoon or so of allspice, to taste
* A teaspoon or so of nutmeg, to taste
* A teaspoon or so of ground coriander, to taste
* Salt and pepper, to taste (You may need to salt liberally especially if you eat it right away without letting it sit for a day or so; less is needed if you use chicken stock instead of water.)
* One tablespoon butter or margarine