Quick & Easy: Squash Soup with a Red Curry Kick

Now that spring has sprung, I'm enrapt in the adventure of cleaning out my winter veggie freezer stores. In addition to clearing space to make way for the upcoming summer bounty, using what's on hand means I'm able to save quite a bit of money on groceries.

This past week, when Peef poked his head down into our chest freezer, he found a package of winter squash puree that we'd forgotten about. I'd saved it up to make a batch of that beer-cheese-squash soup, but we didn't have any nice sharp cheddar cheese on hand. So, I decided to improvise.

A glance into the pantry revealed that I had ... not one, not two... but THREE little jars of Thai Kitchen red curry paste on hand. Apparently the paste was on sale at some point this winter, and my hoarding impulses took over for a moment. Needless to say, it seemed like a good move to amend my soup-making plans in that direction.

I sauteed an onion in a bit of coconut oil, and added a couple of teaspoons of the paste to the mix.
Then I added my squash puree, and stirred everything up thoroughly.
I added a can of low-fat coconut milk, and continued to stir until the soup was fragrant and creamy.
Then, I added 2/3 cup or so of diced red pepper -- for color and a bit of crunch. I let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the flavors melded. And then I poured it into bowls.
A bit of cilantro on top, and everything looked delicious.
This soup was definitely a delicious change of pace. The complexity of the red curry was a nice match for the uber-sweet squash, and the coconut milk gave the soup a lovely tropical edge without making it too rich. I have to admit I made it a BIT too spicy, even for our taste... but a less heavy hand on the curry paste would solve that in a jif.

This soup was the height of simple, weeknight cooking. Not altogether recipe-worthy, since it was so easy -- but delicious enough to warrant a repeat performance. This would be a fantastic soup to serve as a starter for a more intricate Thai feast... might have to start planning one of those for next winter.


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Crisp Roasted Curried Cauliflower with Tofu

We are huge fans of roasted vegetables. The heat of summer normally horns in on our desire to heat up the kitchen with anything close to a 400º oven. But, on cooler days, we can make an exception. And thank goodness!

One of the things we most love to roast is cauliflower. Seems a bit of high heat does wonders for the sweetness of this vegetable. Not to mention giving it a lovely caramelized color.

Add a few colorful spices, and you're on your way to something wonderful.
Once everything is mixed together, you just slide the seasoned vegetables into their luxury tanning bed...
And WA-LA! They come out looking rather spectacular!
This cauliflower is a splendiforous departure from some of the other treatments for late-summer cauliflower. It combines the warm, sensual aromas of Indian curry with the ease of a one-pot dinner.

And the leftovers... ah! the leftovers! They're almost better than the first time around. Wrap a spoonful up in a pita for a quick sandwich. Add a splash of cream and whir in the blender for a quick, creamy soup. Or just do as I do, and eat it cold, straight from the fridge. Oh, and those of you making icky faces and "boo-ing" need to try it before judging too harshly :)

I like throwing tofu in this dish. But, you can easily make it without. It's also great with a bit of cooked chicken, or as a side dish with a more expansive Indian feast.

We served this with a side of fresh radish raita -- a simple mixture of yogurt, minced radishes and cucumbers, red wine vinegar, chopped fresh mint, and a pinch of salt. It cut the heat of the dish nicely, and gave the hot cauliflower a nice, cool, summer crunch.Crisp Roasted Curried Cauliflower with (or without) Tofu

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