On my last trip to the farmer’s market, I bought a zucchini. The problem is, when I tried to pay for it, they wouldn’t let me leave without taking 2 more squash. My options were zucchini and zucchini…or the 1 Hubbard squash they had left. I opted for the 7-pound monster. The total for all three? $1.
Of course, this was in addition to the monster organic onions and heirloom garlic I had just bought. The onions were massive, but beautiful. There was no way I could pass them up.
And the garlic, well, it was the spiciest variety available. I like my garlic strong. The cloves from this particular variety were about 4-5x larger than from the kind of garlic you’d get at the store.
What better way to use these monster veggies on a chilly day (yes, the temperature dropped 20 degrees at my place) than to combine them with the monster heirloom brandywine tomato from my garden that ripened this week. Straight off the vine and into the pot.
And, oh how lovely it was to see and taste. If you’ve never had one, I strongly encourage you to find one. The smoky, rich, dense flesh of a brandywine makes for amazing sandwiches (on GF bread) when topped off with a little basil pesto and S&P. Or simply slice the tomato and drizzle it with a little balsamic vinegar & olive oil. Mmmmmm.
Preparing the soup is really straightforward. You will need to roast the squash in the oven for an hour or so, but the rest is simple: Saute onions and garlic, puree with squash, add spices, broth and tomatoes. Done!
The result is a large pot of soup, perfect for a family get-together or a Sunday-night football potluck. Serve it up with some hot cornbread, and anything else that strikes your fancy.
Cut squash in half, scoop out the insides of the squash, removing all of the seeds and pulp. Cut the squash into big pieces, place in a pyrex dish & add a bit of water to the bottom. Sprinkle the squash with a little salt and pepper or chile powder, cover with foil and roast at 400 degrees F for 1 hour.
You’ll know a monster onion when you see it. If none are available, use 2 large onions from the store.
Mince your garlic (~4-5 normal sized cloves) and add it to the onions in the soup pot.
Use 1-2 large beefsteak type tomatoes, cut into hearty chunks. Set the tomato chunks aside.
When the squash is done, scoop out the hot flesh (be careful) and add it to the onions and garlic. Puree the squash, onions, and garlic. Pour puree back into pot and add broth, spices, and tomato chunks. Simmer at medium heat for 10 minutes.Serve your soup with GF corn bread or crackers.
Monster Soup
Notes
You can use other winter squash, like butternut or acorn, if you prefer. Just make sure to use about 7 pounds’ worth. Hubbard squash seems to have a higher water content than these other types, so you may need additional broth to thin the soup out.
Ingredients
- 1 monster Hubbard squash (~7 pounds)
- 1 monster onion (~2 large onions), chopped
- 1 monster clove of garlic (~5 small cloves), minced
- 1 monster beefsteak-type tomato (~2 large tomatoes), chopped
- 1 cup gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch rubbed sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for sauteeing onions
Instructions
- Roast Squash
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the Hubbard squash in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp from each half. Cut each half into 5 or 6 pieces.
- Place pieces in a Pyrex/glass baking pan, cut side up. Add about a ¼ inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don’t burn and the squash doesn’t get dried out. Sprinkle the inside of each piece with salt and pepper, and perhaps a little chile powder.
- Cover the squash with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft. Do not under cook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the rest of the soup.
- .
- The Soup
- Pre-heat soup pot to medium high. When ready, add a tablespoon of olive oil to pot and coat bottom evenly. Reduce heat to medium, add onions and sautee for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sautee for another 2-3 minutes.
- Scoop squash from skin and place in soup pot with onions and garlic. Repeat for all pieces.
- Stir squash, onion, and garlic together. Place in blender and puree. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
- Pour puree back into soup pot, add chopped tomatoes, broth, maple syrup, and spices. Simmer for about 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.