Finally fall has come. Hallelujah! It’s been so hot that one of the only ways to get the dog to leave the apartment is to take her to the “beach”—actually a funky pond in Prospect Park—where she does her old lady laps, her head aloft like she wants to keep it dry, paddling in circles. Suffice to say that being able to put the kibosh on this practice is a long time coming: as much as she enjoys it, it’s a mess, and my husband has to bathe this beloved creature each time she goes for a dip. Now it’s time for her to assume her next seasonal role: “mop in the forest,” where entire branches and other seasonal debris ride around in her fur, parasite style. Nothing says fall like a lady-beard full of rainbow-colored foliage.
With the cooler weather, soup season has arrived too. One of the best and quickest types uses squash, a mainstay of this month’s farmer’s market. My go-to is butternut, but if you’re a fan of acorn or even pumpkin, this could easily be adapted. Made with half-and-half, curry powder, and an apple, quintessential pureed butternut squash soup is sweet and rich.
This one is a spin on the classic, as I used some lingering Thai green curry paste instead of the usual tinned yellow powder of British-Indian descent. Despite both having the word curry in them (a word that has a serious history and subsequent plethora of meanings), these two products have little in common. Green curry paste, even the jarred kind, is fresher, brighter, and more aromatic, due to the cilantro, lemongrass, chilis, galangal, shallots, and more. Curry powder is earthier and toastier, a heady combination of ground dry spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cardamom. They both have their place in a kitchen, but are usually used in different applications. Deviled eggs or chicken salad need umph? Try curry powder. Want to make a kicky soup, stew, or sauce (especially one with coconut milk)? Use curry paste.
I truly do not love the smell or feel of these bits around the seeds, but it's worth coping with it.
Here, either works, but the green curry is a nice Thai-flavored change. The complexity and funkiness of the spice paste, and optional fish sauce and lime, balances and counters the sweet squash and apple. To make it “creamy” without dairy (which doesn’t occur much in SE Asia), I add and blend in a single potato. The texture is a bit less cloying without the cream, and still wonderfully smooth.
Lastly, do reserve the seeds when you prep your butternut. When rid of their weird pumpkin-y membranes, and toasted and sprinkled with cayenne, they are an addictive little snack. Try to save a few for the top of your soup, as they add nice crunch to this silky, spicy bowl o’ seasonality.
Green Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Sauté a peeled and chopped onion with a glug of oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Season lightly. When the onions are golden and soft, add a few cloves of chopped garlic and 1 to 3 tablespoons of green curry paste, to taste (intensity and heat level can vary greatly over different brands). When the paste and garlic are aromatic, a minute or two, add a peeled, deseeded, and chopped butternut squash, a peeled and chopped potato, and a peeled and chopped apple. (When prepping the squash, reserve the seeds.) Add water to the pot to almost cover the squash, as well as a spoonful of chicken stock concentrate, if you have it. Cover the pot and simmer until the squash is soft and cooked through. Puree with an immersion blender, a regular blender, or a food processor. Taste and season generously with fish sauce (great for a jolt of salt) and a squeeze of lime to brighten it up.
Meanwhile, remove all the squash flesh and membranes from the butternut seeds and rinse. Dry thoroughly, then add to a small pan over low heat with a bit of oil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toast, tossing often, until lightly colored. Let cool, then sprinkle on top of each bowl of finished soup.
