liquid gold

carrot ginger squash soup with turkey meatballs

Notes on Squash - 

I have made this soup at least twice a month for the last year: You will notice a difference in the consistency and sometimes taste of the soup depending on the type of squash you use and the time of year.  Old squash doesn't taste that good....  Kabocha squash will give you a super velvety and dense texture that will need thinning out with a little extra stock or water, while butternut isn't as sweet as acorn.  Find your favorite squash and use that one!  

ingredients:

Soup:

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp, peeled chopped ginger root
• 1 Lb. fresh local carrots, scrubbed and chopped large
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 small acorn squash, 1 small butternut squash or 1 small kabocha squash
• coconut or olive oil 1 Tbsp
• sea salt, 1 tsp and then to taste
• cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• fresh squeezed lime, for garnish
• a sprinkle of cinnamon, for garnish

Meatballs:

• 1 Lb ground turkey
• 1 shallot, diced very small
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 F, cut squash in half and place in a high rimmed baking dish with one inch of water.  Bake until flesh is soft, 35 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, sweat the onion with 1 tsp sea salt. Once onions are soft add ginger, saute 1 minute, add carrot chunks and stock. Turn heat to medium and simmer gently until carrots are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Let squash cool enough to peel and remove seeds. Add to the pot of softened carrots and stock.  Using a hand blender, puree veggies until consistency is the same and no chunks remain or you can use a food processor, working in 2 batches but make sure to recombine in a large bowl after so that your soup is one consistency. 

While squash and carrots are cooking prepare the meatballs.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and form into 1 Tbsp rounded balls and place on a lined baking sheet.  Once you remove the squash from the oven you may put the meatballs into the oven.  Bake 18 minutes or until a digital thermometer reads 140 F. 

Assembly:

Ladle soup into bowls and add 3-4 meatballs.  Squeeze lime over soup and garnish with cilantro, cinnamon + sea salt.  Eat!!!

This soup freezes extremely well in small batches for an emergency dinner or for an enviable lunch. 

One batch will make 4-6 servings depending on bowl size.... and devotion.