Red Curry Coconut Squash Soup

Cut the squash into cubes. (Cutting and peeling squash is a royal pain, but it’s all worth it in the end. I highly suggest keeping the squash seeds when cleaning out the squash—they make a great garnish! I wasn’t sure how that was going to turn out; it was one of those random and crazy Dana ideas —and those don’t always work out!—but I’m really stoked that this idea was a winner.)

In a soup pot, melt down the butter and coconut oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, roasted peppers, red curry paste, and squash.

Mix thoroughly, and cook for approximately 5–7 minutes. Add extra butter if the pot dries up, to avoid burning any of the veggies.

Add the coconut milk and skim milk, and bring to a boil. Once the soup comes to a rolling boil, bring the heat down to a simmer and let the soup simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring often. Once the squash is cooked through and soft (you can test this with a fork), turn off the heat.

Transfer portions of the soup/veggies to a blender or food processor and puree. You will likely want to do this in batches to avoid an overflowing processor. Just have a big bowl nearby and empty the puree into the big bowl as you go. I did mine in three batches.

Serve as is, or with the optional garnishes.

Notes:
1. The fall weather always serves as inspiration for soup, especially butternut squash soups. I really wanted to put a spin on the typical squash soup this time, though. I’m really glad I did!
2. To prepare the squash seeds, give them a good rinse. Then, in a small pot filled with just enough salted water to cover the seeds, bring them to a boil for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and pat dry. Toss in a small splash of olive oil and sea salt, and then roast at approximately 325ºF for 10 minutes or until they have a nice crunch.