PUREED WHITE BEAN & WINTER SQUASH SOUP

By BobD

Ingredients

• For garnish:
• 1 pound white beans (such as navy beans, small white beans, or cannelini), washed, picked over and soaked for 6 hours o overnight in 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a couple of sprigs each thyme and parsley, and 2 sage leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 leeks, white part only, well washed and chopped
• 1 pound winter squash, peeled, seeds and membranes removed, and diced
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Slivered fresh sage leaves
• Garlic croutons (toast slices country bread or baguette, rub with a cut clove of garlic, and cut the toasted bread into cubes; optional)
• A light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Details

Adapted from nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Winter squashes like kabocha, the green pumpkin-shaped squashes that are now widely available in farmers markets, can be a bit daunting to work with. Theyre so thick and hard that you may wonder where to begin.

Roast these rough- and thick-skinned squashes before trying to tackle peeling them: cut them in half or quarters, scrape away the seeds and fibrous membranes, put them on an oiled, foil-lined baking sheet, then roast at 425F until they are soft enough to pierce with the tip of a knife. Then you can peel them easily and proceed with a given recipe. Butternut squashes, though equally hard, have a smooth skin that you can peel away with a vegetable peeler (cut them in half first to make the task easier).

1. Drain the beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes, and add 2 of the garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the drained beans and the water. Bring to a boil and skim off foam. Add the bouquet garni, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook gently, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes, and add the remaining garlic and the squash. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and the squash is coated with oil and just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir into the beans. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour, until the beans and vegetables are thoroughly tender and falling apart. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.

3. Using an immersion blender or a food mill fitted with the fine or medium blade, puree the soup. Heat through, taste and adjust salt, and add pepper to taste. Serve, garnishing each bowl with slivered sage leaves, (optional) garlic croutons and an optional drizzle of olive oil.

Advance preparation: You can make this up to a day or two ahead and reheat. It will thicken. Thin out with water or stock if desired.