Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Olive Oil

As the fall temperatures get cooler, we always seem to remember how nothing satisfies better than a warm bowl of soup. And why settle for something bland and out of the can when you can really get into the season by making soup from scratch? We found a basic recipe from Martha Stewart but of course, we experimented by kicking it up a notch with our spicy infused olive oils. The combination of sweet coconut milk and spicy olive oil pairs well with the sweet and savory balance found in the curry powder. Use our Chipotle olive oil for a flavor that’s hot; our Harissa olive oil if you want to go hotter; and our Cayenne olive oil for the hottest we offer. If whole butternut squash is not available in your area or you want to save a little time, many grocery stores carry packaged butternut squash already peeled, seeded and cubed. One great thing about this soup is you can make it ahead of time. Just reheat when ready to serve; makes entertaining a breeze.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup plus extra for drizzling Olive This! Chipotle olive oil (hot), or Harissa olive oil (hotter), or Spicy Calabrian Pesto (hottest)
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly minced
• ¼ cup minced fresh peeled ginger
• 4 bay leaves
• 2½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 cups chicken stock, heated
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 15-ounce can light coconut milk
• Freshly chopped scallions, for garnish
• Red pepper flakes, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Peel, seed and cube the butternut squash into 1” square chunks. Roughly chop the red onion. Mince the garlic and peel and grate the ginger.

In a large Dutch oven heat the spicy olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add chopped red onions and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for about 3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the bay leaves and cook for another minute.

Add the squash, curry powder and kosher salt. Continue to cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, measure out the 2 cups of chicken stock into a large glass measuring cup or microwave-proof bowl. Heat the chicken stock in the microwave oven for 2 minutes.

When the squash mixture is done cooking, increase the temperature to medium-high and add the heated chicken stock scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer.

Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes. Every 5 minutes, stir and mash the squash in the simmering stock. After the third time (total 15 minutes) add the brown sugar and cook for 3 minutes longer.

Add the coconut milk to the mixture and let cook for another 10 minutes.

You are ready to puree the soup. HOWEVER, remove the bay leaves at this point before you begin.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the Dutch oven to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can use a blender but do it in small batches. Each batch should only fill the blender container 1/3 of the way. The hot soup is likely to expand.

When ready to serve, reheat the soup (if necessary), adjust any seasonings according to taste and garnish with a drizzle of spicy olive oil, sliced scallions and red pepper flakes for some extra kick.

SERVES 6

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