Butternut Soup & Stir Fry with lots of Coconut Milk!! :)
Winter Squash Soup with Lemongrass and Coconut Milk
6 cups stock for curried dishes (see following)
2.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled & seeded
1 lemongrass talk, the tender middle section minced
5 pieces galangal or 3 slices ginger
1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil (I used olive, it was fine)
1 large onion, diced
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded & diced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk (mine was coconut, yummm)
salt
juice of 2 limes
garnish: finely chopped fresh mint, basil, cilantro (to your liking)
Coarsely chop the squash. Heat the oil in a soup pot, then add the squash, onion, half the chilies, the minced lemongrass, and the garlic. Cook over medium heat for 10 min, stirring occasionally. Add the strained stock and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is tender, about 30 min. Puree the soup, partially covered, until the squash is tender, about 30 min. Puree the soup,then return it to the stove and stir in the coconut milk. Taste for salt and add lime juice to sharpen the flavors. Serve garnished with the fresh herbs and the remaining chile.
Stock for Curried Dishes
2 teaspoons veggie or olive oil
1 onion, peeled & coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
trimmings from the soup vegetables (for this recipe, the butternut squash rind & seeds as well as lemongrass)
2 bay leaves
4 o more garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
8 parsley branches, including the stems
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
additional herbs & spices you might have around
2 quarts water
Making a quick stock is relaxed and improvisational, the steps intermingling with the preparation of the soup vegetables, trimmings added to the pot as you go along. Here's what "I" do:
Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a large pot. Quickly peel and roughly chop an onion, a carrot, and a celery rib and add the to the pot when the oil is hot. while they're browning, I read through the soup recipe and look for vegetables that have useful trimmings. As I work, I toss in parsley, smashed garlic cloves, and bay leaves. I look for other ingredients in the recipe that might be amplified in the stock. Also, check the refrigerator for leftover chopped shallots, a lone mushroom, and some chard stems-- and add them as I find them. During the 5 minutes it takes to do all this, I give the pot a stir or two. After 10 minutes, I add salt and water and bring it to a boil. It simmers, uncovered, while I go back to the soup. I like to give the stock about a half hour,then I strain it and add it right to the soup.
Cauliflower, Spinach, and Potato Stir-Fry with Coconut Milk
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/2 lb. fingerling or red potatoes, sliced 1/3 inch thick
salt
1 bunch scallions sliced, including a few inches of the greens
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
2 serrano chiles, minced
3.5 tablespoons peanut oil (i used olive)
1 large bunch spinach, stems removed
1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Separately, boil the cauliflower and potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain. Set aside 2 tablespoons each of scallions and cilantro and puree the remaining cilantro, tumeric, chiles, and 1.5 tablespoons of oil.
Heat wok (or large pan, like I used), then add 2 teaspoons of the oil and swirl it about the sides. When hot, add the scallions and stir-fry for 1 min. Add the spinach and stir-fry until wilted and tender. Remove and set aside. Add another 2 teaspoons oil and fry the puree until fragrant. Add the cauliflower and potatoes, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until heated through. Pour in the coconut milk and add the spinach. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste again for salt and serve garnished with the reserve cilantro and scallions.
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (book) by Deborah Madison, C1997
