Spicy Pork & Delicata Squash Soup

Spicy Pork & Delicata Squash Soup

Wow! Thank you all for your wonderful comments and excitement about the new cookbook on my last post. I've emailed the two winners and hope that regardless if you didn't win a copy of the book, you are able to find it at your local library or are able to purchase it from your local bookstore (or amazon). Of course, if you're interested in a signed copy from yours truly, you can order from my neighborhood bookstore (Waucoma) and they'll ship worldwide. Thank you for the support!! It means the world to me. Alright, on to this tasty soup. We did not raise pigs on our farm this year so instead of eating our own pork, we went in on a hog from our neighbor farmers. We now have a chest freezer full of pork (and beef, and chicken and elk because we're semi preparing for a loooong winter) and this recipe really hit the spot. It's simple to prepare and warms you right up on a chilly fall evening. It's perfectly spiced and the sweetness of the winter squash pairs well with the saltiness of the pork and heat from the fermented chili paste. The addition of soft boiled eggs takes it over the top (don't skip that part!) It's a winner in our home and I hope you all enjoy it as well. This recipe uses all local ingredients (to us) minus the ginger, soy sauce and fish sauce) I think most of you will be able to source the majority of the ingredients for this dish at your local farmers market, food co-op, or neighborhood store. Happy soup season everyone! Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm

Spicy Pork & Delicata Squash Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • hefty pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts) save the tops for dicing and stirring in at the end!
  • 1 large or 2 smaller delicata squash, seeded and sliced into half moons (about 1/4 inch thick)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce + additional to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fermented chili paste + more to taste
  • 1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped (about 1 cup of loosely packed leaves and some stems)
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Mix the pork, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined.

  2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic and scallions and cook for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add the pork and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat a bit and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink. About 5-7 minutes.  Add the water and squash and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, cilantro, scallion greens, and fermented chili paste. Give the pot a good stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes longer to let the flavors meld. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. (I like to add more chili paste but you can add extra to individual bowls so people can choose their own spice level!)

  3. While the soup simmers, gently lower the eggs into a large saucepan of boiling water. Cook 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool until you can easily handle them. Peel the eggs and set aside.
  4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the eggs and additional salt and pepper.

Notes

You can use any variety of winter squash. Butternut, pumpkin, acorn, blue hubbard, or even a sweet potato.

Comments