{"id":124,"date":"2011-09-15T07:39:09","date_gmt":"2011-09-15T13:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/therealfoodchronicles.com\/?page_id=124"},"modified":"2016-04-23T19:50:04","modified_gmt":"2016-04-24T01:50:04","slug":"monster-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stormysweitzer.com\/recipes\/monster-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Monster Soup"},"content":{"rendered":"

On my last trip to the farmer\u2019s market, I bought a zucchini. \u00a0The problem is, when I tried to pay for it, they wouldn\u2019t let me leave without taking 2 more squash. \u00a0My options were zucchini and zucchini\u2026or the 1 Hubbard squash they had left. \u00a0I opted for the 7-pound monster. \u00a0The total for all three? \u00a0$1.<\/p>\n

Of course, this was in addition to the monster organic onions and heirloom garlic I had just bought. \u00a0The onions were massive, but beautiful. \u00a0There was no way I could pass them up.<\/p>\n

And the garlic, well, it was the spiciest variety available. \u00a0I like my garlic strong.\u00a0 The cloves from this particular variety were about 4-5x larger than from the kind of garlic you\u2019d get at the store.<\/p>\n

\"garlic\"<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0Straight off the vine and into the pot.<\/p>\n

\"brandywine<\/p>\n

And, oh how lovely it was to see and taste. \u00a0If you\u2019ve never had one, I strongly encourage you to find one. \u00a0The 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. \u00a0Mmmmmm.<\/p>\n

Preparing the soup is really straightforward. \u00a0You 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!<\/p>\n

The result is a large pot of soup, perfect for a family get-together or a Sunday-night\u00a0football potluck.\u00a0 Serve it up with some hot cornbread<\/a>, and anything else that strikes your fancy.<\/p>\n

Cut squash in half, scoop out the insides of the squash, removing all of the seeds and pulp.\u00a0Cut 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.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll know a monster onion when you see it. If none are available, use 2 large onions from the store.<\/p>\n

Mince your garlic (~4-5 normal sized cloves) and add it to the onions in the soup pot.
\n\"tomatoes\"<\/p>\n

Use 1-2 large beefsteak type tomatoes,\u00a0cut into hearty chunks. Set the tomato chunks aside.
\n\"cooked<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n