Serve this soup with warm, crusty bread to mop up every delicious drop.
Some people come back from their travels with photos and refrigerator magnets.
When Paul fell ill and their friend and neighbor Simone Beck died, Julia sold the house.
Photo: Ali Redmond
American Kathie Alex bought it in 1993.
Night fell quickly, cold and dark.
Julia’s kitchen remained pretty much as she had always had it, a warm and cozy beacon.
Earthenware pitchers held bouquets of wooden spoons.
Skillets, knives and kitchen utensils hung from Paul’s precise pegboard.
Thus fortified, we would set off for the day’s adventure around twisty lanes bordered by stone walls.
Afternoons meant lingering lunches.
We visited Grasse, smelling the scent of lavender before we even got to the perfume town.
Finally, there was dinner, cooking and enjoying the meal with friends.
Those experiences came together as the ingredients of this soup.
Golden and velvety, it brightens and soothes, just what we need when winter sets in.
The color of a setting winter sun or glowing embers, this soup tastes like Julia’s kitchen feels.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
Place squash halves, cut-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.
Trim 12 inch from papery ends of garlic heads, so that the tips show; brush with oil.
Wrap the garlic heads tightly in foil and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast until the squash and garlic are tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
When the squash is done, scoop the tender flesh into the pot (discard the skin).
Transfer the garlic to a plate.
Reduce oven temperature to 300.
Add broth to the pot.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender.
(Use caution when blending hot liquids.)
Stir in 11/2 teaspoons smoked salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.
Keep warm over low heat.
Meanwhile, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the papery skin into a food processor.
Bake the custard until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
To serve, scoop some warm custard into each bowl and pour the warm soup around and over it.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and chives, if desired.
To make ahead
Refrigerate roasted squash and garlic (Steps 1-2) for up to 2 days.
Look for it with other types of salt in well-stocked grocery stores.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
