Roast Kabocha Soup With Lemon Grass Cream Recipes

ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F.

LIME YOGURT LEMON GRASS SOUP

Steps:

• Prepare lemon grass stalks by peeling off the outer husk and placing on a solid cutting board. Bruise the stalks with the back of a thick knife. Wrap each stalk in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with strings.
• In a stainless steel saucepan combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring once to make sure sugar has dissolved. Add one prepared lemon grass stalk and remove from heat. Allow lemon grass to steep in syrup until cooled.
• In a stainless steel saucepan combine heavy cream and the second prepared lemon grass stalk. Bring cream to a boil, remove pan from heat and allow to cool.
• Remove lemon grass stalks from cream and sugar syrup.
• Place yogurt in a large stainless steel bowl. Whisk in the cool lemon grass-infused cream and lemon grass syrup. Keep mixture chilled until ready to serve.
• Just before serving add lime juice to yogurt mixture. Adding lime juice too early will cause soup to curdle.
• Ladle soup into chilled bowls or flat soup plates. Place a scoop of lime granita (or sherbet) in the center of the bowl and garnish with lime zest. Additional accompaniments include gingersnap cookies and/or thinly sliced tropical fruits such as papaya or kiwi.

ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack on the top third. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, then cut into 2-inch wedges. Combine squash, onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle generously with oil and season with salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and flipping vegetables halfway through (remove garlic and reserve if browning too quickly). Let cool slightly; when cool enough to handle, remove skins from squash and discard.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add chile strips and spices; toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and chile has softened slightly (1-2 minutes). Add roasted vegetables and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare garnishes: Using tongs, roast corn over an open flame on medium-high, or under the broiler, turning occasionally, until kernels are tender and charred in spots, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut corn kernels off of cob. Heat pepitas in a small skillet over medium-high, stirring, until toasted and popping (about 4 minutes). Set aside. To make crema, mix sour cream and 2 tablespoons water.
• In batches, puree soup in a blender. Season with salt. Strain for smoother texture, if desired. Return blended soup to the pot and reheat gently on the stove. Divide into bowls and serve with blackened corn kernels, toasted pepitas, crema, and lime wedges.

ROASTED KABOCHA (JAPANESE PUMPKIN) SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F / 175°C.
• Cut kabocha in half, scoop out seeds and membranes, and set aside.
• Prick the kabocha flesh with a fork, brush with olive oil and place face down on a baking dish. Bake for about 40 mins at 350F/175°C or until tender.
• While the kabocha is roasting, clean and dry the seeds (as best you can) and toast them in a dry pan on med-high heat for about 5 minutes or until nicely golden brown and set aside. Alternately, you can bake them in the oven for about 10-20 minutes at 400F / 200°C.
• In a large pot, saute sliced onion in butter until soft.
• When the kabocha is soft, carefully (it's hot!) scoop the flesh in chunks out of the skin and add to the pot with onions. Alternately, you can wait for it too cool or roast it already peeled.
• Add the bouillon powder, water and cinnamon, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cover the pot to keep it from splattering.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl. In batches, puree the mixture in a blender (only fill about 3/4 or less full), and add it back to the pan. If you have an immersion blender, even better, and you can just puree it all in the pan.
• Stir in the milk and heat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Mix in salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls and top with toasted seeds.