This healthy butternut squash soup would be a wonderful starter for your Thanksgiving meal.
Butternut squash soup is a stalwart of our fall meals.
Over the years it has also become one of my contributions to our Thanksgiving celebration.
In Iranian cuisine, fragrance and color play just as important a role as taste.
Cinnamon is used in savory dishes, rather than sweets, to add warmth and perfume to the dish.
I use it in this soup along with earthy cumin and coriander.
And of course, no other spice elevates a dish more than saffronthe golden flag-bearer of Iranian cuisine.
Unlike American Thanksgiving, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in early October.
Canada is farther to the north and the harvest takes place sooner; hence an earlier harvest celebration.
Place the ground saffron in a small glass bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons very hot (but not boiling) water.
Stir, cover and set aside to steep.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion; cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add garlic; cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Add squash, sweet potato, cumin, salt, cinnamon, coriander and pepper.
Stir to combine; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 1/2 cups water to the pot; increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the reserved saffron water.
Taste the broth for seasoning and adjust as desired.
Transfer the soup to a blender and add maple syrup and orange blossom water, if using.
Puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with sumac, if desired.
Find it in the spice section of supermarkets, gourmet shops or at tienda.com.
It will keep in an airtight container for several years.
The tart red berries of the Mediterranean sumac bush add fruity, sour flavor to many regional dishes.
Find ground sumac in Middle Eastern markets, specialty-food shops and online.
To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
