Squashing the Soup Competition

Question: What kind of socks do you need to plant squash?

Answer: Garden hose, of course!

Recipe: Roasted Squash Soup with Maple-Glazed Bananas

adapted from Adina Guest and Timothy Hollingsworth, Food & Wine contributors 

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)

Ingredients:

One 2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
Kosher salt
1/2 cup pecans
1 banana, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup water
1/2 cup crème fraîche
Pinch of cinnamon
8 small watercress sprigs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter a medium baking dish. Season the squash with salt and set it cut side down in the baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes (the squash should be very tender). Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for about 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the banana and maple syrup and stir to coat.
3. Peel the squash. In a blender, puree the squash, water, crème fraîche and cinnamon until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and warm over low heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the banana-nut topping and watercress and serve hot or at room temperature

A Happy Accident:

As a printmaker, I am used to happy accidents - you know, when a print you envision coming out a certain way doesn't but you end up loving it just the same or even more. Here is the story of our Roasted Squash Soup happy accident: while I planned to serve it as an appetizer, it was decided that we should use it as a base below our friend's herb-stuffed pork loin roast served with a side of bok choy. (Let's face it, the women walked out of the kitchen to check on the babies and by the time we got back, the men had started plating their own way.) It was unplanned and unbelievably delicious! Then for dessert, I served little cups of the soup with the maple-glazed bananas as well as roasted figs in caramel sauce and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Photograph via Instagram (copyright illegibleink)