Mexican Butternut Squash Soupcaldo De Calabaza Recipes

Steps:

• Boil 1 L water in a saucepan.
• Cut squash into cubes.
• Cut off top and bottom of carrots, peel them and cut them into 1/3-inch-thick disks.
• Clean the leak, reserve a part of it for garnish and slice the rest.
• Peel the potato and cut into stew chunks.
• Add vegetables to saucepan, add 2 tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste. Cover and let cook 25 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove vegetables from heat. Blend with hand blender until smooth and creamy. Before serving in bowls, garnish surface with fine strips of leek.

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot over medium flame heat the olive oil and butter then sauté the smashed garlic being careful not to scorch or burn it, when garlic is wilted somewhat add the cubed squash, carrots, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, cilantro and parsley. Saute the veggies a bit in the butter and oil mixture for about 1 minute.
• Next add all of the chicken broth, bay leaves salt, pepper, cumin powder, garlic powder, and packet of sazon seasoning. Cover reduce heat to medium and cook until veggies are fork tender.
• When squash is soft remove pot from flame and discard bay leaves. With an immersion blender gently blend all of the ingredients until all is pureed. If you don't have an immersion blender you can puree in a blender in batches on a low setting being careful not to splash hot ingredients on yourself. Once all is blended return mixture to pot add the coconut milk and mix and stir well. If soup is to thick you can add some more chicken broth or vegetable broth. Taste to see if seasonings are right salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes more. Soup will now be ready to serve.
• Serve nice big bowls with fried tortilla strips on top and a wedge of lemon. Or you can serve with store bought tri color tortilla strips Also good with fritos chips on top if you don't have tortilla strips. Enjoy

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and as much of the "stringy stuff" as you can, and chop into pieces approximately 1-1.5 inches by 1.5-2.5 inches.
• Slice off skin, taking off as little flesh as you can.
• Measure to make sure you have approximately one quart of pumpkin pieces (either pack well into a measuring cup or fill a calibrated 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon measure to the quart line and drop in pieces until water hits the 1/2 gallon line, then drain water.).
• Put in a fairly heavy saucepan and cover with water.
• Cover, bring to a boil, and boil for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain, but save water, and place pumpkin back in pan.
• Measure water to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups.
• Stir in packed brown sugar until smooth. Add cloves and/or cinnamon at this point, if desired.
• Pour the sugar/water syrup over the pumpkin, cover, return to a boil, and boil another 15 minutes.
• Turn off heat and let sit overnight (at least 8 hours.) This is how the pumpkin soaks up the syrup and "candies".
• In the morning (or after the 8-10 hours), return to a boil, and boil an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove from syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a tray or cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Allow to dry at least 10-12 hours in a place where it will not be disturbed (if you're not going to be using the oven and haven't had it on recently, the cold oven is a great place to keep it safe.).
• Roll in granulated sugar and enjoy! Place in air-tight container to store up to two weeks.