Whit’s Picks – 10.11.2011
Whitney is the merchandising guru at Marczyk’s. She touches practically all the Marczyk products, so has lots of time to consider how to use them. Here is her November pick, with recipe! Enjoy.
Picks of the Month: Kabocha Squash and Niman Ranch Chipotle and Cheddar Sausages
Here in Colorado, the cold weather has arrived! Our Denver trees are dusted with snow, and the market is abundant with local squash of seemingly endless varieties. While I tend to like pretty much any kind of squash, I have to admit that Kabocha is my all-time favorite. If you’ve never tried Kabocha squash, you are really in for a treat. Also known as the Japanese Pumpkin, the Kabocha is more intense, sweet, and vibrant-colored than regular pumpkins. The skin of this squash is edible when cooked, but since this soup is pureed it is best to remove it and use for making pumpkin stock. I used “Sunshine Kabocha” for this recipe (the bright orange-skinned variety) but green Kabocha would work just as well.
Marczyk Fine Foods squash
What you’ll love about this soup is the wonderful flavor contrasts of spicy and sweet. If you remove the seeds from the chipotles before adding to the soup, you will get a milder, smoky heat. If you want some sinus-clearing spice, there’s no need to remove the seeds. It might just be the tastiest cold medicine you’ve ever sipped! The addition of Yukon gold potatoes gives the soup a more creamy texture and thick body.
This soup also has my new favorite sausage from Niman Ranch, the uncured chipotle cheddar flavor. There are so many reasons why Niman Ranch is one of our favorite suppliers here at Marczyk’s - from their humanely raised “never-ever” meats (as in, never ever treated with hormones or antibiotics) to their environmentally sustainable farming practices - but the best thing about their meats is really the taste. These juicy and flavorful chipotle cheddar sausages have little pockets of melted cheese and the wonderful, smoky, spicy taste of chipotle.
Spicy Chipotle-Kabocha Soup
serves 8
1 large Kabocha Squash (about 5 pounds whole, any color)
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced
3 T butter
1/4 cup white wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
about 3 (1/4 of a can) Chipotles in adobo sauce, seeds removed and chopped
2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups of vegetable stock
Salt, to taste
4 Niman Ranch Chipotle Cheddar Sausages, sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prep the squash: halve the Kabocha and scrape out the pulp and seeds. Fill a large, shallow pan with about 2 inches of water. Place squash halves cut-side down in the pan and place in the oven. Roast until squash is very soft, about 30 minutes.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook until golden-brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Deglaze pan with wine and add chipotles and potatoes. Add stock and bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to allow the soup to simmer.
Once squash is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, scraping any stubborn bits off with a spoon. Stir the Kabocha flesh into the soup and continue to simmer, covered, until potatoes are completely soft and the liquid thickens, about 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or a blender or food processor), puree soup until smooth. Season with salt. Add sliced sausages and cook another 8 minutes, or until sausage is nice and hot. Remove from heat and serve immediately.