If you can’t find piment d’Espelette, use just a pinch of cayenne instead. The soup keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.
YEILDS ABOUT 10 CUPS; SERVES 8 TO 10
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 Tbs. coriander seeds
- 11/2 tsp. fennel seeds
- 11/2 tsp. dried sage
- 1 small (51/2- to 6-lb.) Hubbard squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
- Kosher salt
- 5 cups homemade or lower-salt chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped
- 2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives
- Several small pinches of piment d’Espelette or cayenne
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Pound oil, garlic, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and sage in a mortar and pestle. Rub the spice mixture on the flesh of the squash halves and place them cut-side down on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, until tender. Once cooled, scrape out about 5 cups of the squash flesh.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek, carrots, and salt, and cook until the leek is softened. Add the roasted squash, broth, bay leaf, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer covered for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and let the soup cool slightly. Purée the soup in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the pot, add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts, chives, and piment d’Espelette or cayenne.
ALL ABOUT HUBBARDS
- Probably the largest squash you’ll find at the market, these teardrop-shaped behemoths are often sold in manageable chunks, so you can buy only what you need. Hubbards have thick skin that ranges from dark green to bluish gray and a dense orange flesh with a rich pumpkin flavor. Hubbards sweeten with age and can be stored whole in a dry place at a cool room temperature for up to 5 months before using. More ways to cook with Hubbard squash Roast bite-size pieces of Hubbard tossed with chopped fresh rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the same pan with a whole chicken or turkey breast. Or roast squash halves with toasty spices like coriander, fennel, cumin, nutmeg, or curry powder and then mash the flesh.
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING:
- 240 CALORIES | 9g PROTEIN | 29g CARB | 13g TOTALFAT | 3g SATFAT | 7g MONO FAT | 2g POLYFAT | 5mg CHOL | 180mg SODIUM | 7g FIB
