How to make winter squash soup from our local markets this Thanksgiving

The extent to which Starbucks’ PSL (trademarked name for Pumpkin Spice Latte), has infiltrated our culture since 2003 is hard to overstate. Today, our appetite for warm spice blends of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove not only influences personal care product development, but also recipe development -– whereas Libby’s pumpkin puree pie recipe from 1950 specifies one and three-quarters teaspoons of warm spices, The New York Times’ Ultimate Pumpkin Pie of 2021 doubles that amount.

This squash soup inverts the taste ratios that PSL has conditioned us to associate with orange-fleshed winter squash. Sorry not sorry pumpkin spice, but squash gets center billing here. This recipe works well for many different winter squashes, so consider this your invitation to try a new variety – especially if you’ve only ever cooked with butternut.

Farmer Dave’s will be at the Lexington Farmers’ Market Thanksgiving FEASTival next Tuesday November 26th with four varieties of squash perfect for this recipe: honeynut, red kuri, buttercup, and butternut. Stillman’s Farm will add three great options: sunshine kabocha, delicata, and acorn. Busa Farm will carry many of the aforementioned varieties as well as red and green kabocha and carnival squash. Wilson Farm shoppers: try rugosa, Turk’s turban, or ambercup; their own blue Hubbard squash is also excellent if you can find a smaller cut piece or have other squash cooking projects (Hubbard squash are 15-40 pounds). At Whole Foods Market, try honeypatch squash, a smaller and improved butternut squash.

This is a pureed soup — no fancy knife work necessary. If the bulbous shape of winter squash feels too unsteady to cut safely, place the whole squash in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes to soften before halving and seeding. Roast seeded squash halves with garlic cloves tucked underneath to steam. Start the soup while the squash and garlic cook; sweat vegetables with aromatics and add cooked squash and garlic flesh. Add chicken stock and water to simmer. Remove spices prior to pureeing to keep squash as the predominant flavor. Add maple syrup and coconut milk for a smooth mouthfeel (no harsh flavors here), and continue to simmer the soup — I like when the texture resembles a thick applesauce, but if you prefer a thinner soup, then you can serve it sooner. After ladling soup into bowls, gently set a couple of walnut halves in the middle of the soup and drizzle with olive oil for an elegant effect.

You shouldn’t need to call anyone to the table — the aromas are so strong that a hungry crowd typically gathers before this soup finishes cooking. No PSL air freshener necessary.

Winter Squash Soup — Serves 4 for a meal

3 pounds of raw winter squash, halved and seeded 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 tablespoon ginger root, sliced

1 stick cinnamon 

2 pods cardamom

2 whole cloves

2 stalks lemongrass

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1/2 cup coconut milk, preferably full-fat

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Salt and pepper, to taste

Walnut halves, unsalted and toasted (for garnish)

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet. With a large knife, halve the squash lengthwise. Remove seeds. Rub olive oil all over squash including skin and cut flesh. Set the squash on the baking sheet cut sides down, about one inch apart.
2. Use a knife to trim off the pointy edge of each garlic clove and create a small flat edge. Set all of the garlic cloves in the empty space under one honeypatch squash bulb if they fit; if not, use two squash halves. Roast for 25 minutes, or until squash sugar begins to burn.
3. Turn the squash halves over. Remove garlic cloves if they are starting to color; otherwise, continue to cook for 8 minutes or until they begin to color. Continue roasting squash for 10 to 15 minutes (they will take less time if they were softened before cutting), or until the squash skin puffs and the cut edges form a deep golden brown crust. Remove the soft flesh from the squash. Pinch the cloves to remove the garlic.
4. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add carrot, onions, celery, 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes, or until vegetables begin to turn translucent.
5. Add cinnamon, cardamom, lemongrass, and ginger. Continue cooking, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
6. Add squash flesh and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
7. Add the chicken stock and water. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
8. As soon as soup boils, reduce heat to the lowest setting that will maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30-60 minutes (it’s ready after half an hour; 1 hour is ideal).
9. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, clove buds, and lemongrass stalks from soup.
10. Add maple syrup and coconut milk. In a blender, puree the soup. Transfer soup back to pot and continue to simmer on low for 30 minutes or until the mixture resembles a thick applesauce; stir every 20 minutes. 
11. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, maple syrup, or coconut milk if you like. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil and/or toasted walnuts.