Squash and bean soup

It’s soup season!  Last night as I was walking home with a cold rain and harsh wind blowing I realized that pretty soon it is going to snow.  Luckily, Mike and I  had lots of leftovers of this soup to keep us warm.  If the ingredient list seems a little long it’s because there are lots of spices in here.  I actually did not intend on posting this recipe because I was just planning on making the Squash-and-White Bean Soup from this cookbook. However, when I started to cook  I realized I was deviating from the recipe quite a bit.  Instead of leaving chunks of squash and celery I blended the “base” of the soup to a creamy texture.  And while I love the taste of winter squash and white beans, I had black beans in the fridge that needed to be used. 

The real highlight of this soup is the garnishes.  I recently discovered Harissa and have a jar of it in my fridge to use up.  I knew the taste would go perfectly with this soup so I  drizzled about a 1/3 of a teaspoon in the bowl just as I served it.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced (depending on how spicy you like your soup)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 1/2 pound spinach (bite sized pieces)
• 2 and 1/2 cups cooked black beans ( or 1 28 oz. can drained and rinsed)

• Harissa (to taste)
• Feta cheese (to taste)
• Crusty bread

1. Make the stock (if you have none on hand)
2. Combine the oil, squash, onion, celery, jalapeno, ginger and garlic in a large soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat until softened for 7-10 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the vegetable stock, chile powder, thyme, allspice, salt, and ground pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.  Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender blend the soup to a smooth texture.  Add your ancho chilli powder and taste for salt.
5. Stir in the spinach and beans and cook for about 10 minutes more.
6. When serving add some harissa as garnish with a bit of crumbled feta.  Serve warm with crusty bread.

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