Squash & Miso Soup

Shared by the Pantry Seattle

Recipe adapted from Renee Beaudoin

Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients

Soup:

3-4 pound winter squash (recommended: blue hubbard, red kuri, kabocha, or butternut), you will need a shy

2 pounds of cooked squash once roasted

2 tablespoons safflower, or other high-heat, oil

2 tablespoons of butter, ghee, or olive oil

2 large leeks

1 large shallot

4 large carrots

5 fresh or rehydrated shiitake mushrooms

2-inch piece of ginger

8-10 cups vegetable or bone stock

3 tablespoons white miso

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Garnish:

Yogurt

Scallions, chopped finely

Instructions

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place a sheet tray in the oven to heat up for at least 10 minutes.

- Cut and roast the winter squash. Depending on the type of squash you choose, you can do this a number of ways. I recommend cutting into large wedges, taking the seeds out while leaving the skins on, and tossing with safflower oil, salt, and pepper before roasting with the skin on (as the skin can be tough to cut through and once it is cooked the skin will peel right off). Roast the squash in the oven skin-side-down until it is fork-tender (about 30-50 minutes depending on what type of squash), turning every so often to prevent burning. Once it comes out of the oven, allow it to cool slightly before scooping out of the skins. Weigh out a shy 2 pounds for the soup and reserve any extra cooked squash for another purpose.

- Quarter and thinly slice the shallots, peeled carrots, and shitake mushrooms. Thinly slice the leeks and put them in a container with water to agitate and wash.

- In a large stock pot, heat the butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, shallot, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5-10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to season.

- Grate the ginger and add it, along with the roasted winter squash, to the pan and cook until the ginger becomes fragrant. Add 8 cups of stock and bring to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before proceeding. Add the soup, along with your miso and lemon juice to

a high-speed blender in batches. Blend each batch on high until it is completely smooth and creamy. If it is getting too thick, add the extra 2 cups of stock while blending to help thin it out. Once blended, taste for seasoning and acid, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender but the soup will not be nearly as creamy. Return the soup back to the pot and keep on low until ready to serve.

- Garnish with creamy yogurt, chopped scallions, chili oil, and/or olive oil.