I originally found this tasty recipe from smittenkitchen.com, and have tweaked it a bit to suit my tastes (I’m a big fan of the butternut). This seems like a great base, on top of which you can add any type of squash. I used a pumpkin I had gotten in upstate NY to add a (very) fresh pumpkin taste and to make a pumpkin seed garnish. It’s time- consuming to get the innards and seeds out of a pumpkin, but you get to carve it afterwards, so it’s all worth it!
**Smittenkitchen’s version calls for ½ pound cooked ham, which I did not add. It also calls for Sherry and Sherry vinegar, which I also omitted. Check out the original recipe here if you’re more adventurous than I.**
1. Cook pumpkin seeds in whatever manner you’re used to (I just throw them on a greased cookie sheet with a ton of salt and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.)
2. Cook squash in boiling water until tender.
3. In a food processor or blender puree beans and tomatoes; set aside. If you’re using fresh pumpkin, puree and add to bean mixture. Once squash is done cooking, puree it in a blender and set aside.
4. In a large pot or kettle, cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring until the onion is softened and starting to brown.
4 1/2. Stir in bean puree, pumpkin, squash, and broth until combined and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Ladle soup into bowl(s). Garnish with pumpkin seeds, diced apples, and/or pistachios (the pistachios worked perfectly with the soup, an idea I got from a vendor at the local Greenmarket). Season with salt & pepper.
