A local famers market surprise this year was a Delicata Squash! This variety of winter squash has creamy texture with a deliciously sweet flavor! The best part? Its skin is thin and edible, so it does not need to be peeled like a butternut squash before eating. Of course, you still need to seed it and remove that stringy interior mass. Slice and roast it or turn it into some Maple-Pecan Delicata Squash Soup ! It’s so creamy and autumnal in flavor!
To Start:
Isn’t she beautiful? (With a name like ‘Delicata” it should be, right?) I was excited to learn that this didn’t have to be peeled, unlike butternut. That will be a time saver for sure!
Trim off the top and bottom to make two flat bases. Split it straight down the middle.
Scoop out the seeds and stringy mess. I find that using a melon baller helps clear out the mess, pretty efficiently.
Slice. Remove any remaining strings with the open end of the melon baller. Halve or dice them smaller if you desire.
Place them, along withe the chopped pecans, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle the oil and maple syrup over the top and toss with a rubber spatula. Spread them out evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees. (In the pics below, you can see how thin its skin truly is!
While they are roaasting, prep the broth. I used Better than Bouillon brand. It’s my favorite! Once done, take them out and place pan on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Go ahead and take a whiff! Its warmth will overwhelm you! Well maybe that’s a bit too much, but it has a delighfully sweet fall aroma! Just sayin’….
Pull all contents into the middle of the foil and lift it up to funnel into the blender or food processor. Add in half of the broth and blend after putting on the lid. Add in rest of the broth with the salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning, if desired, and if you want it thinner in consistency, add more than the 2 cups of broth. Delicatas vary a bit in size so this amount may need to be adjusted. Judge it by your preferences.
After blending, stirring, and blending a bit more to reach your desired consistency, It should be ready to enjoy! Except, you might need a little garnish of a sprinkle of chopped pecans and crumbled goat cheese which adds a nice contrast of flavor!
Serve this in small bowls or ramekins as an appetizer to a special meal or as a light lunch. This Maple-Pecan Delicata Squash Soup is wonderful! Enjoy and don’t forget to drop by and support your local farmers market!
Maple-Pecan Delicata Soup
Ingredients
- 1 delicata squash seeded, sliced, halved
- 1/3 c chopped pecans
- 2 T pure maple syrup
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 2 c vegetable broth-more if needed Better than Bouillon brand
- 1/2 t Kosher salt
- 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
Garnishes
- pecan bits
- goat cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Slice off top and bottom of squash after rinsing off. Set it vertically on a cutting board and slice it halfway straight down.
- Remove seeds and stringy mass. A spoon as well as a metal melon baller scoop were quite helpful.
- Slice each half into half rings. Remove any excess strings with tools mentioned above. Place onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
- Over the squash. sprinkle the chopped pecans and drizzle with the maple syrup and olive oil. Toss with a rubber spatula.
- Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes. Remove pan to cooling rack for a bit.
- Gather squash mixture into the middle of the foil so you can lift it up from the sides and funnel it more easily into the blender or food processor.
- Add 1 cup of the broth. Place top on blender and blend/puree. Add the rest of the broth with the salt and pepper. Blend again.
- Adjust taste to your preference and add more broth to achieve your desired consisitency. Squash sizes vary so more may broth may be required.
- Serve up in a small serving dish(ramekin) with a sprinkle of pecan bits and crumbled goat cheese. Perfect!
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