Curried winter squash soup: If it’s farm share, it’s still summer, right?

We are grimly staring down the onset of winter, scheming how to maximize the local and sustainable parts of our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner and dreading that time of year when we’re forced back into the produce section of Whole Foods. Defying the early darkness and bitter chill of these mid-November evenings, Michelle still gathers what herbs remain in our garden after several killing frosts. Our carrots have dwindled to a few gnarled roots, and we’re no longer sure which of our pantry’s many squashes come from Pavel or from another farmer. Whichever it may be we have plenty, and we keep searching for ways to use them, wishing perhaps that the perfect preparation could persuade the gods of winter to stay away a bit longer.

This curried soup has warmth and depth, with a good kick. Michelle created it by modifying a recipe from Ina Garten’s Back to Basics, in which she admits stealing it from her own Barefoot Contessa Parties!, where she says she based it on an idea from The Silver Palate Cookbook—so it has a solid (if not tortuous and somewhat plagiarized) pedigree along with its solid curry punch.

CURRIED WINTER SQUASH SOUP

(adapted from Ina Garten’s Back to Basics) (serves 4 to 6)

Sauté onions in olive oil in a soup pot until just beginning to caramelize.  Add apples and stir occasionally, until they are beginning to soften.  A little browning is good—just make sure they don’t burn.  Add curry powder, stirring until fragrant.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add stock and roasted squash and cook for 10-15 minutes to let flavors meld.  Cool, then purée in a blender or food processor.  Check seasoning.

Reheat soup and serve with curry-style condiments.  We used dried bananas, toasted and chopped cashews, cilantro and toasted coconut.

* Roast seeded and halved butternut squash, cut side down, in 1/2″ or so of water, at 400° for 30-45 minutes.  Cool, then spoon out flesh and discard the skin.  Larger squash can be quartered and cooked in the same way.