spider soup
A cool weather staple, winter squash, transforms into a simple spooky season meal
Ingredients:
2.5 pound winter squash such as butternut, honeynut, delicata, and/or pumpkin
4 cups vegetable stock
1 small yellow onion
1 small Granny Smith apple
2 Tablespoons mixed fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream, plain yogurt, or crème fraiche to decorate
Spiders to decorate (not real ones; we like to leave our real spiders out on the porch to catch bugs)
(Makes 4 portions)
Peel, remove seeds, and cube the squash. Dice the onion. Peel and roughly chop the apple. Add to a soup pot with enough vegetable stock to cover. Roughly chop herbs and add to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are extremely soft (approximately 30 minutes). Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (alternately, transfer into a blender in batches). Season with salt and pepper. If soup is too thick, add additional stock or some apple cider to thin and heat through. If soup is too thin, continue to simmer without a lid until reduced.
To decorate, ladle soup into bowls. Thin sour cream or yogurt with some water (if too heavy it will float on top of the soup and not spread). Place in a reusable squeeze bottle or piping bag with a 1/4 inch opening cut . Pipe three to four concentric circles on top of the soup. Using a skewer or toothpick, start in the center of the bowl and drag to the edge. Repeat all the way around the bowl to make one of the most iconic spiderweb decorations known to Halloween. Finish the look with an edible cornbread spider on top.
While the spiderweb is perhaps an overdone look, I think this recipe lasts the test of time because of the simplicity and affordability. Whether in need of a quick weeknight meal or something that can be made in large batches for a Halloween Dinner Party, this soup is practically foolproof. It is also customizable depending on ingredient availability, and I often use it as a template for a “what’s lurking in the fridge meal” tossing in bits of leftover carrot or sweet potato or change up the seasoning by adding curry power and turmeric.
