Fennel and butternut squash soup

Fennel and butternut squash soup

From Justine Snacks: 

Everyone and their mother has a butternut squash soup recipe, usually blended and without much variety in flavor or texture. This one adds crunch and tang with a fennel salad added to the top of the soup. If that idea is too strange, you can also enjoy them side by side.

• 
      1 Large fennel bulb, stalks and fronds included
      2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
      2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 of a lemon
      5 garlic cloves, divided
      Extra-virgin olive oil
      Diamond Crystal kosher salt
      1 tablespoon salted butter
      1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
      1/4 pound celery stalks 3 stalks, thinly sliced
      1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
      1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
      2 pounds butternut or other orange winter squash, cubed into 1-inch pieces
      1 bay leaf
      2 cups vegetable broth
      Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

• Set a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter and six tablespoons of olive oil. Allow the butter to fully melt, then add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.

• Add in the garlic, cayenne and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Add in the butternut squash. Stir to combine and season with salt.

• Cook this mixture down for 20 minutes, or until the squash is fully soft. Stir the mixture every five minutes, covering the dutch oven with a cracked lid in between. When the squash is soft, use your spoon to break up most of the pieces, mashing many and leaving some whole.

• Add the bay leaf and broth and let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes more. The longer it simmers the more flavor will build. Continue to stir occasionally to break up the squash pieces. The soup should be chunky but thick. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

Fennel salad:

• Prepare the fennel salad. Remove the fronds and finely chop them. Discard the stalks. Add the fronds to a large bowl. Mandolin the fennel bulb into razor-thin pieces and set aside

• To the bowl with the fronds, add the yogurt, lemon juice, two grated garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk into a thick dressing and season liberally with salt.

• Add in the fennel bulb pieces, toss to coat in the dressing, and place this in the fridge while you prepare the soup.

Veselka’s Ukrainian Christmas Borscht

from the New York Times, adapted from the Veselka Cookbook

• 2 pounds beets, trimmed and scrubbed (do not peel)

• 3/4 cup white vinegar

• 1 carrot, peeled and diced

• 1 stalk celery, diced

• 1 small onion, diced

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 whole allspice berries

• 1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• Salt

• Mushroom and onion dumplings (optional, see recipe)

• Chopped dill, for garnish.

1. Coarsely chop beets, preferably in a food processor. In a medium pot, combine beets, 4 cups water and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beets are soft, about 45 minutes. Strain and set juice aside. (Beets can be used for another purpose, likesalad.)

2. Meanwhile, in a deep pot, combine carrot, celery, onion, stock, bay leaves and allspice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Strain and discard aromatics and vegetables.

3. Combine strained stock and beet juice and simmer 5 minutes. Add sugar, garlic and black pepper. Season to taste with sugar and salt. Serve with dumplings, if desired, and sprinkle with dill.