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Rose's Soup Kitchen
I was a poor eater as a child. The very word squash was so unappealing to me I would never have considered even trying it. But in my 20’s my great uncle Nat sent my mother a huge Hubbard squash from his farm in the Berkshires and she turned into a soup. My father was coming downtown to bring me something and she asked if I would like some of the soup. “No thanks” was my response and luckily she ignored it. When I hesitatingly tasted the soup I was astonished by the deep earthy sweetness and velvety texture of the soup.
A few weeks ago, when I told my neighbor Jason Menegus that Hubbard was my favorite squash, he promised to save me one from the Fall harvest. And when I went to pick it up I could hardly do so. My husband, who has been transporting it around from farm to car to kitchen assured me it was under 50 pounds but all I can say is that every time I lifted the pot of soup I made from it in and out of the oven to stir I groaned. It was worth it. I now have something like 24 dinner servings of it in my two freezers. And it is even more delicious than I remembered.
Here’s the basic method which certainly can be adapted to smaller squash with greater ease if less drama.
I began by cutting the squash open using a cleaver and rubber coated mallet. This was harder than it sounds as the squash was so huge the blade of the mallet immediately buried itself inside of it and was impossible to extricate. Determined to remove it I used the mallet to strike the underside of the handle, averting my head so that it wouldn’t fly up and knock me unconscious. Then I struck it into another section of the squash. Finally it split open—not evenly—but to a manageable size to fit into my largest roasting pan.
I scooped out the seeds, placed both pieces in the pan along with 2 cups of hot water, covered it with foil and set it in the oven preheated to 350˚F. My intention was to roast it for about 2 hours but I started watching the DVD I made to go along with the new book and was spell bound for 3 hours until suddenly I smelled the squash. Luckily it was just perfectly cooked—tender enough to scoop the pulp into a large bowl. It yielded 3533 grams/7.7 pounds of pulp.
I placed the pulp in my largest enameled cast iron Dutch oven and added 2 pounds of potatoes, pared and cut into large cubes, 2 heads of garlic separated into cloves, lightly smashed to remove the skin, a few branches of fresh thyme, about 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, about 2 cups of water, and 4 large cubes of glace de poulet (a quart of unsalted chicken stock would be fine) and put it back in the oven until the potatoes were cooked –1 hour. I groaned every time I pulled it out of the oven to test it--it might even have come out as an "oy". (Now I know why many tennis players make such aweful sounds following every stroke--I think it helps the effort in some way!) i think i'll leave that typo (aweful) it's not a bad distortion of the word!
It was about 11:00 pm by then so I decided to set the pot outside where it was around 45 ˚F overnight to cool. The next morning I removed the thyme branches that had shed their leaves and puréed the mixture in several batches in the food processor until all the fibers of the squash were pulverized and the mixture was velvety smooth.
I like cooking thick soups like this in the oven as on the cook top it risks burning on the bottom unless stirred constantly. I wanted to make a very concentrated thick soup for storage in the freezer as it takes up less space and after defrosting can be thinned with milk to the desired consistency. One cup of my mixture weighed 245 grams/8.6 ounces to which I added 2/3 cup of milk (you can use part water), 1/4 teaspoon salt (best to do this to taste), a grinding of black pepper and after ladling it into a bowl, swirled in a heaping teaspoon of crème fraîche and sprinkled it with Aleppo pepper. The red was a pretty contrast against the pale gold of the soup and also added a gentle spike of heat.
I’m posting this right away in the chance that you will still be able to find Hubbard squash but if not, be sure and make a note to try it next year. It could become an annual Fall tradition (Or bi-annual as we’ll probably still be enjoying this huge amount into the following year)!
* The beautiful gourd table decorations were also compliments of Jason.
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Comments
Hi Bridgett,now that we are empty nesters,I still love to cook all the time,and since our kids live in another state,my batches of homemade pea soup,chicken soup, do not get eaten up as fast as I would like them to,so its jars for me.
I have always used ball glass mason jars and have continued to freeze my soups in them,without any problems.
They do well as long as you cool the soup first,before placing in the jars,and leave a space for expansion at the top.
They work well.
Andi in Vegas
Reply to this Posted by: Andi* | January 2, 2009 9:19 PM #
Hubbard's are available in NYC, most outdoor markets open on weekends and certain weekdays have them now. If you're on the upper west side, 97th street market open Fridays from 7am to 2pm. 97th street between Columbus and Amsterdam.
Bring a shopping cart.
Without a doubt the best pumpkin.
Reply to this Posted by: Tony | December 3, 2008 1:30 PM #
thinking of canning jars, my spice rack in a box, during my moving.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/savory/SpicesOnCanningJars.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 19, 2008 4:59 PM #
i knew it i knew it i knew it! just last weekend i took what i thought was a pyrex bowl from cold to hot and splitto--spider web cracks.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 18, 2008 3:17 PM #
I was using empty jars from store bought pasta sauce. Glass was thin!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 18, 2008 3:13 PM #
hector i've never had a ball jar crack but what has happened is the lid has bulged!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 18, 2008 3:12 PM #
If I don't leave head space, is this when the jars will crack/explode in the freezer? I has happened to me to this huge batch of bolognese sauce I made.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | November 18, 2008 2:00 PM #
i didn't "can" the purée as in water bath but just put it in the ball jars with head space to expand during freezing--the same amount as if you were giving it a water bath--and frozse it. if i had put it in hot it would have sealed the lids which i saw no need for. glass is more protective for long term storage.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | November 18, 2008 11:55 AM #
I am an avid cook and do quite a bit of "cook ahead and freeze" type meals. However, I have never used Ball jars for freezing. Can I safely assume that I would pour the cooled soup base into the jars and screw on the lid? I am assuming you did not go through the entire canning process, right? I am a ziplock kinda girl and am intrigued by the glass jars now!
Reply to this Posted by: Bridgett | November 18, 2008 11:09 AM #
That looks wonderful! My cooking tasks for today are to make pumpkin puree and chesnut puree, perhaps I'll turn one into soup!
Reply to this Posted by: Julie | November 18, 2008 11:05 AM #
Oooooh . . . that sounds so yummy!!! Will have to make note to find one of those squash next year.
Reply to this Posted by: Lola LB | November 17, 2008 9:48 AM #
Thanks for this roasted squash soup! I will definitely do something similar this week. In fact your post makes me want to not only make this soup, but to grow Hubbard squash. It looks delectable!
Reply to this Posted by: Lucy | November 17, 2008 3:48 AM #
no to wall ovens, next kitchen will be modular/free-standing.
ovens will be 3 units, all countertop ovens, on large countertop tables. one quarter sheet, one half sheet, and one full sheet ovens.
dreaming...
re: turkey. it is MY recipe, but with ROSE'S baking technique and stuffing. The breast roll will be condimented with my Peruvian marinade which has no shallots nor pancetta. Can't wait to report results. I worked very long and very hard with my marinade recipe which uses no stufigng, but the problem was to please the stuffing people! I hope to reach this year.
Reply to this Posted by: hector | November 15, 2008 2:30 PM #
yeah--double wall ovens stacked are wrong in just at just about every level but better than an under the range oven. of course if room doesn't allow one has no choice. but bending down and lifing a big turkey out of the oven for example requires very strong thigh muscles to protect the back.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 15, 2008 1:16 PM #
I always thought double wall ovens would be best side by side rather than stacked, for that very reason!
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 15, 2008 1:11 PM #
remember when buy a big heavy pot that filled it's going to be that much heavier. i should say remember when redoing your kitchen to place a wall oven in a position where your arms are most strong to lift things out of it which is usually with your elbows slightly below right angles.
hector and anyone making that turkey--when you make the roll, be sure to sautée the shallots as they don't cook long enough in the turkey breast roll to lose that unpleasant raw quality.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 15, 2008 12:59 PM #
Yum, pureed squash is one of the most wonderful treats in the fall, what a great idea to turn it into soup!
As delicious as your soup looks, I have to admit that my eyes went straight to your Thermodor in every photo!!! Great kitchen equipment makes all the difference!
Reply to this Posted by: Patrincia | November 15, 2008 12:36 PM #
Wow! That is one monster squash. And a whole lot of deliciousness. Thanks for sharing it!
Reply to this Posted by: Kitt | November 15, 2008 12:26 PM #
thank u for sharing from your extra-extraordinary kitchen! I love squash soup and your method is fantastic and fairly hands free except for the weight lifting. When Le Creuset releases their 15 qt goose pot in dijon I will be the first one to get it.
I've just arranged plans to make your Rose's Celebrations turkey, but I will use my Peruvian marinade to rub the turkey and breast roll. I have just outsouced some tasks: my sister is whipping the marinade and Luca will make the stuffing. There was just no way I do this again this year without sous chefs!
Reply to this Posted by: hector | November 15, 2008 11:25 AM #
What a coincidemce reading this today, I had never tasted butternut squash soup before this week and, like you, i was a fussy eater as a child! I have been to the dentist this week and calling at a little restaurant just after my visit I looked at the menu to see if there was anything suitable to eat that wouldn't dislodge my new filling. On asking what the soup of the day was I was told it was butternut squash, as i said something new to me. However, that was all there was so i decided to try it and was very pleasantly surprised, what have I been missing all these years?
Reply to this Posted by: Jeannette | November 15, 2008 10:44 AM #