Curried Squash Soup

I feel like every time I make something even slightly curry, you guys run and hide. Just check out my last two curry posts! You can hear the tumbleweed in the comment sections. I have spoken at length about how much I want you guys to like curry. Canadians, Australians, and people from the U.K. all love curry, why can’t Americans get on board? Let me tell you guys a story. Back when I used to think that curry smelled like BO and that I would never like it, back way before I had a food blog (I wrote this blog a long time agooooo), I went over to a friends for a dinner party. Dinner was great, a maple salmon and some asparagus, followed by a tasty carrot cake for dessert. But the reason I will never forget that night was the appetizer. Valerie served a beautiful silky squash soup as the first course. Something about it tasted funny to me, but funny in a great way. I asked what the wonderful flavor was that paired so well with the squash. Curry was the answer. I have been wanting to make this soup since that night, almost exactly 2 years ago to the week, and I finally had the chance a few days ago.

Everything ready for the oven.

This is the stuff from the above picture all mashed up.

Making the curry paste.

I skipped a few pictures here. I cooked up some bacon, then removed it from the pot. I added the curry paste to the bacon fat, then added the squash puree. More detailed directions are at the bottom of the post.

I didn’t have the best utensils at Nicks apartment. Or bowls.

Tasty! Seriously you guys, try this. The curry is subtle and matches so nicely with the squash. Not to mention, its super easy! (Soup-er easy?)

Want to hear just how easy this is?

Squash Puree:
2 medium butternut squash, quartered
1 medium acorn squash, quartered
1 onion, quartered
2 parsnips, whole

Throw all this onto a baking sheet or two, and spread butter around on some of the surfaces and sprinkle with salt. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes or so, until the squashes are fork tender. You are going to need to blend or food process this mixture rather than just mash, cause the onions and parsnips might not mash that well. I actually did NOT have a food processor, so I sort of diced the cooked onion and parsnips really finely, then mixed them with the squash(scooped out from the skins) and mashed it all together.

Curry Paste:
2 Cloves
2 Teaspoons cumin
2 Teaspoons coriander
Thumb sized peice of ginger
3 Garlic cloves
2 Dried thai chiles, or 1 fresh jalapeno(with seeds)

Blend the above in a mortar, blender, or food processor.

Soup:
1/2 lb Bacon
Curry paste from above
Squash puree from above
Some veggie stock
Tablespoon turmeric
Optional milk or cream

Chop the bacon and cook in the pan until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, but leave the fat in the pan. If your bacon was excessively fatty, you might need to drain some of the fat, but you should have at least a few tablespoons in there. Add the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes. Next add the puree. Now thin it out with some veg stock to your desired thickness. Taste for salt and add some if needed. Add the turmeric and a few splashes of milk or cream if desired. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and taste again, adjusting seasonings if needed. Serve with bacon on top.