cooking : soup : winter squash : golden squash soup

I've referenced it before, and am now ganking it in all its succulent glory.

1 medium sized buttercup squash, peeled and cut into about ½ inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
2 3/4 C + 1 tbsp chicken or vegetable broth
6 oz canned coconut milk
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and white pepper to taste

Peel squash and cut into pieces.
Heat 1 tbsp broth in medium soup pot. Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and continue to sauté for another minute. Add turmeric and curry powder, and mix well. Add squash and broth, and mix. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.
Place in blender and blend with coconut milk. Make sure you blend in batches filling blender only half full. Start on low speed, so hot soup does not erupt and burn you. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Thin with a little broth if needed. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Reheat, and add cilantro.

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I made this a couple of weeks ago, using delicata squash, and it was one of the most delicious dishes I have ever tasted. Unlike a lot of the squash recipes that I've been finding, wherein nutmeg/cinnamon/cloves are invariably employed, seemingly only to mask or disguise the unique flavor of the squash, this concoction's spices add nuance and complexity - it comes out sweet and rich like a shrimp bisque while maintaining a savory flair.

The original recipe calls for butternut, but I've been trying out new squash varieties, so I'll go with either buttercup or acorn. The deciding factor should present itself tomorrow when I make a trip to the Amish market, fingers-crossed that they'll have some nice, big zucchini... I have an idea for squash ravioli and/or veggie lasagna which would involve substituting slices of zucchini for the pasta, and being a drier variety I'd like to use the buttercup for that.