Last Tuesday, like every Tuesday, we got the organic produce box. I wondered if it would hold a particular item ...
And indeed! There it was.
(I was beaming all over my face.)
There was a ... MUSCAT SQUASH!
(As I had expected ... or rather, as I had hoped).
Specifically, a quarter piece of it...nestled comfortably against a bag of spinach on one side, and little apples and fragrant oranges on the other.
Once pumpkin season starts, we get this distinctive type of squash delivered about once a month. Only a quarter of it at a time (about 1 kg), never one half or three quarters. Always precisely a quarter of a pumpkin!
When this regularity crystallized, the recipe below became our go-to dish. Simple and quick to prepare ... and creamy soup is always a winner on chilly winter days, particularly one that's exquisite.
Muscat squash, also known as nutmeg squash, doesn’t quite taste like the spice that inspired its name. Instead, I think of a wildflower meadow with soft peach-colored flowers; I think of its subtle, bloomy scent. Alternative terms of this romantic pumpkin variety first cultivated in France emphasize this sensual fragrance evocation: Musquée de Provence! And even: Fairytale Pumpkin Squash (What?!!?). (Beaming even more)
I’m a big squash fan; I like eating any variety from the big squash family. No wonder my favorite summer ‘fruit’ is watermelon, which (surprisingly) is a vegetable, but one (not so surprising anymore to me) belonging to the cucurbit family.
However, if I had to name a favorite winter squash, I most certainly would go for muscat squash. If only because it stands out from the (pumpkin) crowd: It is a dreamy beauty with a unique flavor! (And a teeny bit, too, because it transports me to a fairytale fantasy of billowy blooming meadows).
Recipe
Muscat squash cream soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 kg muscat squash
- 5 medium-sized potatoes
- 1 red onion peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons of canola oil or another neutral oil coconut oil also works
- 3 scant teaspoons of curry powder
- 1 liter vegetable broth
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Salt
- Pepper
Additionally
- Pumpkin seed oil
- Pumpkin seeds
- Bread
Instructions
- Peel and dice the squash. (I cut it into pieces first and then cut the peel off of each piece; I find this method easiest).
- Peel and dice the potatoes.
- In a large pot, saute the diced onions with canola oil until they are translucent (they should not brown).
- Saute the curry powder briefly with the onions until fragrant, just a few seconds.
- Add the diced vegetables to the pot and add the broth and the coconut milk. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- Puree the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with pumpkin seeds and a few drops of pumpkin seed oil. If you fancy, serve with bread.
I'm curious to know: Have you heard of the Fairytale Squash? Do you cook with it?
Psst, you might also enjoy this Oriental chickpea & pumpkin soup, and this Creamy carrot and sweet potato soup.
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