Baked Delicata Squash Soup

Delicata Squash—the small, striped oblong winter squash—is full flavored and sweet with a delicate texture. It is delicious simply baked and served with no extra flavoring or adornment (and we’ve got a recipe for that), but also combines beautifully with pumpkin in this creamy soup recipe. 

yield: 6-8 servings | prep time: 30 minutes | cooking time: 1 ½ hours

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ingredients

• 2 small delicata squash

• 1 small pie pumpkin

• 1 small yam

• 4 cups light vegetable broth or water

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger

• 1 tablespoon rice syrup

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

• 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot

• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil or olive oil

• 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seed

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the squash, pumpkin and yam under cold running water, scrubbing them well to remove any dirt that may be clinging to their skin. Place the vegetables on a shallow baking dish and bake until juice begins to seep out of each and each is very soft tender when squeezed. The time will vary for the different vegetables. Usually the delicata and yam cook a little more quickly than the pumpkin. When tender, remove from the oven and cool. The vegetables may be cooked up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe.

2. Cut the squash and pumpkin in half and discard the seeds. Scrape the meat into a blender or food processor. Peel the skin from the yam and add the meat to the blender as well. Puree until smooth and even in texture.

3. Transfer the puree to a 3 quart saucepan. Stir in the broth, ginger, rice syrup, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the ginger is soft and the flavors have married. If desired, thicken with a small amount of cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in cold water that is stirred into the soup before cooking an additional 5 minutes.

4. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir the pumpkin seed oil or olive oil into the soup. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with the pumpkin seeds. Serve piping hot.