Sisters and Soup

It might not feel like fall around here yet (or ever) but with Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I have begun eating like it's fall. And fall food is great- in season squashes and pumpkins turn into gnocchi and risotto and obviously pie, just to get me started. The big cans of pumpkin are on sale at my grocery store, and I had used half for my favorite, beautifully orange cornbread. I had big plans for lunch on sunday with the other half- super fast pumpkin soup.

Then, just before I started cooking, my sister, Emily, called. We talked about our usual favorites, frisbee and family and friends, but our conversation, as it frequently does, finished up on food. We love food. It's like a religion in our family, that's why Thanksgiving is such a great holiday. Emily and I love to get together to window-shop at grocery stores and farmer's markets and talk about food. So Sunday, I wasn't surprised that she was excited to tell me about the great recipe she had just put together a few days earlier. I was slightly surprised, however, when her brilliant discovery turned out to be quick pumpkin soup!

Great minds do think alike. Pumpkins (and other fall squash relatives like Butternut and Acorn) are perfect fall foods. They are in season, often locally grown, fresh, and they keep well without refrigeration. The Produce Bible, a cookbook gift from my mother (I told you food was as close as my family gets to religion, right?) refers to winter squash and the most versatile of all vegetable. Which is saying a lot for a book dedicated to the versatility of vegetables. Sweet, savory, soup, sauce, or stand-alone, squash can do it all. The beautiful orange color of the flesh is from the cartenoids, which are a powerful antioxidant. Winter squashes are also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are all also antioxidants, as well as more easily pronounced vitamins like C, iron, zinc. High in fiber, pumpkin is filling as well as nutritious and delicious. (It rhymes, i couldn't resist, sorry). If you're starting with an entire squash, you can clean and roast the seeds, which are packed with protein. If you are too lazy to cut and peel and roast (or boil in soup) fresh pumpkin, there is a sale or large display of canned, pre-pureed pumpkin at a grocery near you this week, guaranteed.

So how did my soup turn out? Fantastic. Emily's was spicier (she likes it hot) and served once as soup, and once, spiced with curry, over rice. I stole the curry flavor, but served mine with sweet corn stirred in and a side of homemade bread. My recipe is ready to eat in only about 15 minutes. Saute onions and garlic. Pour on half a quart of vegetable stock (leftover, in my case, from last week's spinach and lentil soup) and stir in the canned pumpkin. Add some frozen sweet corn. Consistency should be thickish. Season with salt, pepper, ginger, curry, and garam masala if you've got it. Once it's all hot, it's ready. Simple, seasonal, and sister-endorsed.