Hurricane Earl, whose expected winds threatened to shut down the Union Square Farmers Market this past Saturday, was in and out like a lamb, putting an end to the wave of heat and humidity and leaving behind him the makings for a perfect early fall weekend. Set against a backdrop of clear blue skies, the market was packed as eager shoppers moved from stall to stall perusing selections of greens, tomatoes and basil, eggplants, leeks, melons and some of the season’s first apples and squash.
Drumlin Farm (Lincoln, MA) was particularly crowded, but I was able to get ahold of farmer and children’s musician Daniel Flannery from The Flannery Brothers, who suggested the red curry squash paired with leeks in a soup. After some experimentation, the Post Somerville Test Kitchen settled on this recipe for squash-leek soup. The roasted squash gives this soup a rich and creamy texture with subtle sweetness, while the leeks provide a mild onion flavor. Earthy undertones from the sprigs of fresh thyme, sauteed with the leeks and then removed, are still detectible in the final product, and compliment the overall flavor of this perfect autumnal treat.
Red Curry Squash and Leek Soup
Ingredients, Serves 6
1 red curry squash
3 large leeks
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 shallot section
4 cups low sodium chicken/vegetable stock + 2 cups water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (white or black)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and fill the bottom inch of an oven-safe dish with water. Place squash halves in the dish and bake for 40 minutes.
As the squash is roasting, slice leeks into thin discs and rinse thoroughly as to remove all sand and dirt. Sautee leeks in butter and olive oil along with the minced shallot and 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, over low heat for about 30 minutes.
Remove thyme sprigs from leek mixture and discard. Pull the squash from the oven, remove skin, and add to leek mixture. Add stock, a few cups of water, about 1-2 tsp salt, ground nutmeg, fresh pepper and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
In batches, blend the soup in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve warm, garnished with freshly diced chives or greek yogurt and a slice of toasted bread (try Iggy’s, also available at the Market).
Red Curry Squash
Other highlights from the Farmers Market
"Ultra local" cherry tomatoes from the Somerville Growing Center
Hmong farmers from Flats Mentor specialize in a variety of Asian greens
Drumlin Farm Tomatoes
