CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CILANTRO YOGURT

I'm adding a few butternut squash soup recipes. I can't remember which is our favourite, but I think I usually make all 3 each autumn...

Recipe #1

Some nice garnishes for the soup are freshly grated nutmeg, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of paprika, or Buttered Cinnamon-Sugar Croutons (recipe follows).

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, minced (about 4 Tbsp)

3 pounds butternut squash (about 1 large), unpeeled, squash halved lengthwise,

seeds and stringy fibers scraped with spoon and reserved (about 1/4 cup),

and each half cut into quarters

Table salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp dark brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until foaming subsides; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and butter turns saffron colour, about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water and 1 1/2 tsp salt to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut-side down in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot. Cover and steam until squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes.

While squash is steaming, stir together:

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 tsp lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

Off heat, use tongs to transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet; reserve steaming liquid. When cool enough to handle, use large spoon to scrape flesh from skin into medium bowl; discard skin.

Pour reserved steaming liquid through mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. Rinse and dry Dutch oven.

In blender, puree squash and reserved liquid in batches, pulsing on low until smooth. Add curry powder to squash while pureeing in blender. Transfer puree to Dutch oven; stir in cream and brown sugar and heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add salt to taste. Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of cilantro yogurt. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 cups, serving 8 as a first course

BUTTERED CINNAMON-SUGAR CROUTONS

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove crusts from 2 slices thick-cut white sandwich bread and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Toss cubes with 1 Tbsp melted butter. Combine 2 tsp sugar with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss bread cubes with mixture. Spread cubes in even layer on parchment-lined baking sheet; bake until crisp, 8-10 minutes.

Cook’s Illustrated, Fall Entertaining 2007, page 41