??? on Squash & Soups

I've never made (or tasted) Squash Soup and was hoping to making some this fall only I have a question / dilemma .....

I keep finding recipes for ButterNUT Squash (or even Pumpkin) for Squash Soup recipes.

I GROW, in my garden, ButterCUP Squash - which is a hardier winter squash yet a bit more dry (with a harder rind)!
Now that I have harvested the garden I have lot of my ButterCUP squash but don't know what, or how, I should go about "converting" the recipes for a tasty soup!

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions I would appreciate it.

TIA,
Dar

I think you can substitute buttercup for butternut.
Sweet Squash Soup

1 Large Butternut or Buttercup Squash
1 1/2 cups sliced onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped apple
1 cup chopped carrot
2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
5 cups water

Put the whole squash in a microwave oven and cook on high power for 8
minutes. Peel the squash and cut into cubes. (If you don't have a
microwave oven, this step may be omitted. This brief cooking time
simply makes the squash easier to peel and cut up.) Place all of the
ingredients in a large soup pot and simmer over medium-low heat for
45 minutes.Cool. Place the soup in a blender or food processor, in
batches, and blend until smooth and creamy.Rewarm.

Thanks Rosiewny .... you too Suzycreamcheese for bumping!

I've collected several recipes that sounded great - except for the type of squash required!

I know that when I canned my squash (fresh Baby Food for the grandkids) it was a VERY DRY veggie so had to add quite a bit more liquid.

I see you show water for the liquid. A number of the recipes I've saved (for possible use) called for either Chicken Broth or Half & Half. The spices shown were cinnamon, nutmeg & cardamom - even a Granny Smith apple!

I'm glad I just ate or I'd be making myself hungry again just thinking about this!

Dar

I absolutely LOVE squash and pumpkin soup. The butter CUP is a bit different than butter NUT, but I would use it in a soup recipe as a subsitition. Just go by your preference as far as consistency. A little evaported milk, water, or chicken broth could be used to thin it. Go for it and try it. Yum, I'll be over soon for a taste...
(Curry is a good addition to the soup, as is a touch of nutmeg.)
b

Thanks for all the help! I'm DEFINITELY going to try it (I've got over 20 squash harvested!)

Smiles,
Dar

Dar,I just found this recipe to show you could use your squash.There are a lot better squash soup recipes on this bb;))

Rosie had mentioned you were looking for some recipes. There are so many good ones. I haven't heard of buttercup squash, do you know if the flavors are similar. I would think you could substitute too.
Jill

This is one I've tried & both dh & I really liked it.

Subject: Review of Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Nutmeg
Posted by: GreenChili Replies: 4 Posted on: 1/11/2005 7:22:01 PM
#T461342
This is absolutely awesome!!! I rank it right up there with roasted sweet potatoes. The squash is both tender, and nicely carmelized and crusty brown and is sweet. Delectable. I tasted it after I took it out of the oven and decided to skip the butter, and just sprinkled it with a bit of nutmeg, and additional salt and pepper. I'm sure the butter would make it even better but I'm trying to behave myself. ;)

1 lg. Butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled adn cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs unsalted butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375. Place the squash on baking sheet and drizzle with oil, tossing to coat and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and and browned.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat and butter turns a light brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add in nutmeg and pour over squash and mix thorougly.

This is my all time favorite soup. Time consuming, but still easy.
Jill

RE: What is the best soup you've ever made?
Posted by: jd_az Posted on: 10/15/2004 4:02:51 PM
#R4550832
One last favorite by Oodles_or. This is absolutely wonderful!!!

Subject: Butternut Squash soup
Posted by: oodles_OR Replies: 3 Posted on: 1/13/2004 10:19:04 PM
#T286483
Posted by: oodles_OR Posted on: 11/21/2001 7:11:59 PM
#R66285
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

3 lbs. unpeeled butternut squash, halved and seeded.
2 large unpeeled onions
1 small galic bulb
1/4 c. olive or veg. oil
2 T. minced fresh thyme or 2 t. dried thyme
3 to 3-1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. whipping cream,I use evap milk
3 T. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Fresh thyme sprigs, optional

Cut squash into eight large pieces. Place cut side up in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Cut 1/4 in. off tops of onion and garlic bulb. Place cut side up in baking pan. Brush with oil; sprinkle with thyme. Cover tightly and bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until vegetables are very tender. Uncover and let stand until lukewarm. Remove peel from squash and onions; remove soft garlic from skins. Combine vegetables, broth and cream. Puree in small batches in a blender or food processor until smooth; transfer to a large saucepan. Add parsley, salt, and pepper; heat through (do not boil). Garnish with thyme if desired. Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts
(Last time I ended up using both vegetable & chicken broth. I also always put a spoon full of sour cream in the middle and swirl around.

On Greenchili Roasted butternut squash recipe, I did add the brown butter and it was delicious.
:^)

What can I say? Growing up no one seemed to like Squash (guess in any form) so therefore was not raised to know the differences.

I have never tasted ANY squash (except my Buttercup, Zucchini & Spaghetti) - very obvious differences you must admit.

According to what I'd copied out of "The Cook's Thesaurus":
http://www.foodsubs.com/

Under WINTER Squash:

BUTTERCUP squash Notes: With sweet and creamy orange flesh, the buttercup is one of the more highly regarded winter squashes. The biggest shortcoming is that it tends to be a bit dry. Choose specimens that are heavy for their size. Substitutes: butternut squash (nuttier, sweeter flavor; easier to peel when raw) OR acorn squash (less flavorful, moister) OR Hubbard squash OR delicata squash OR kabocha squash OR pumpkin OR green papaya

BUTTERNUT squash Notes: This variety is very popular because it's so easy to use. It's small enough to serve a normal family without leftovers, and the rind is thin enough to peel off with a vegetable peeler. As an added bonus, the flavor is sweet, moist, and pleasantly nutty. Substitutes: buttercup squash (not as sweet and moist; harder to peel when raw; consider baking with skin on) OR acorn squash (not as sweet; harder to peel when raw, consider baking with skin on) OR calabaza OR delicata squash OR kabocha squash OR Hubbard squash (harder to peel when raw, consider baking with skin on) OR green papaya


I'll simply HAVE to try and see how it tastes since I do like this Buttercup squash for storage & making Candied Squash (same recipe as Candied Sweet Potatoes) for Thanksgiving Dinner (18 people) - which I make in the Slow Cooker & later in the oven.

I keep Whipping Cream in my Freezer (buy it when it is on sale) so I plan on using that for making it thick & creamy.

Dar

Oh before I forget .....
What is the difference using Chicken Broth and Chicken Bouillon cubes w/water?

I often substitute the bouillon cubes but now that I think of it - wondered if anyone has input????

Dar

I have made this soup with acorn, kabocha, butternunt and buttercup and it is ALWAYS delicious!! It is one of our favorite Fall meals, very hearty and so comforting.


Squash and Chicken Stew

1 large buttercup squash (about 3#) peeled, seeded. & cut into bite-size chunks
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, any color, seeded, cored and chopped
1 ½# chicken drumsticks
2 cans lo-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ c. water
Juice of one lime
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. ground pepper
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
Hot pepper sauce to taste
2 T. butter, softened
2 T. flour
¼ c. cilantro, washed, or to taste

In a large stockpot, combine squash, onion, peppers, garlic, chicken, broth, lime juice, water, chili powder, cumin, ground pepper and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove drumsticks and let them cool slightly then tear meat into bite size pieces; add back to stew with black beans. Heat through. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat about a minute. Adding slowly at first, stir in about a cup of liquid from the stew and cook until the mixture is a thick paste. Remove from heat and stir into stew in fourths, stirring each addition about a minute to develop its thickness. Add as much as desired for thickness. You can mash the squash also for added thickness and flavor.

FYI .........

Well I tried making my ButterCUP Squash soup this afternoon. Used 5 medium-small sized squash.

My DH and Mom loved it but I felt I needed to do some improvisation to the recipe (I'm 10 miles from the nearest store) and did not have all of the ingredients .... ie:
Instead of a Granny Smith Apple I used some of my sweeter Crab Apples &
Instead of Chicken Broth I used my bouillon cubes + I thawed out a half-pint of my frozen Whipping Cream to make it creamier.

I found out that Buttercup squash, halved & seeded with spices/butter in cavity - FOIL covered for 1 hr. 15 min. was NOT long enough to roast (soften) my squash. So needed to place them, cavity-side up on a micro-proof platter and covered with plastic wrap, for another 15 min. managed to get them to soft enough to scoop out! I still needed to use my masher for some of the harder "chunks" which I wasn't going to worry more about.

Gee, upon re-reading Rosie's recipe - maybe I should have also added some ginger too (I still can with the leftovers). I keep some ginger root in my freezer. That may help with my "tweaking".

Dar