Curried Squash Soup
On a number of visits to Maui, Hawaii I had the pleasure to dine at The Hali'Imaile General Store. Chef/Owner Beverly Gannon has long been known to produce local dishes with the influence of countries she traveled over the years. This one of the first soups she ever prepared and can be served cold too: after pureeing, chill the soup instead of returning it to the pan. Omit the half-and-half and add 1 cup sour cream to the chilled squash mixture, then add the salt, pepper and chives.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 lb yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1-inch slices
- 6 cups of rich chicken stock
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 Tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and shallots and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened, golden color but not brown.
- Add the squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the squash is tender. Remove from heat and strain the soup, capturing the liquid.
- Place the solids in a food processor and puree in batches. Add the reserved liquid as needed to achieve a smooth consistency. Return the remaining liquid and the puree to the saucepan, and add the half-and-half, curry powder, salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into individual soup bowls and garnish with chives.