Savory Candy Roaster Squash Soup

Last week I traveled to Western North Carolina for a few days.  While at the Jackson County Extension Center, I was introduced to this amazingly large, orange-pinkish winter squash: the candy roaster!  It's known for its sweet, unique flavor.  It's great for making pies, soups, and roasting in the oven.

The candy roaster is native to southern Appalachian (Western North Carolina and North Georgia) and was originally bred by Cherokee tribes in the 1800s.  According to the Jackson County Cooperative Extension, the availability of seeds for this heirloom squash is a concern since it can accidentally cross-pollinate other varieties of squash at distances of up to 1 mile!   

The squash can grow to weigh between 10 and 250 pounds! Naturally, I was intrigued so I purchased one from a local farmer.  Listed below is my soup recipe.  It's essentially a butternut squash soup recipe, but I replaced the butternut squash  with the very large candy roaster!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 3 large carrots
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 2-3 cups candy roaster squash
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp chili power
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Depending on how large your squash is, you might need to cut it into sections. Fortunately, I was able to use a large kitchen knife to cut through the squash -- it's less dense than a butternut squash.  After cutting the squash into smaller sections, remove the skins with a small knife or vegetable peeler.

Chop the candy roaster squash into 1 inch cubes.  Set aside.  Chop the remaining vegetables (sweet potato, carrots, and cauliflower).  In a large pot over medium heat, saute the garlic in olive oil.  Add the chopped vegetables to the pot and sauce for 3-5 minutes.  Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Next, pour the vegetable broth into the pot and make sure it barely covers all the chopped vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.  

Blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in small batches and blend until smooth.  

When plating, you can also add a few pecans or walnut as a garnish.

Serve warm and enjoy!