Peace family, with all of the rain that we’ve been getting, the summer squash in my family’s garden is out of control! If you are looking for a tasty way to use up some of your own squash, here’s a recipe that I came up with this week.
Ingredients:
3 lbs. yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped (about 4-6 medium to big squash)
2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 somewhat large garlic cloves
1 large onion
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup half and half (or 1/4 cup cream plus 1/4 cup milk)
2 tsp. dried tarragon or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped
dash of thyme, nutmeg
3 tablespoons powdered parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice, if desired
pepper and salt to taste
Directions:
In a large stock pot, sautee the garlic and onions in the olive oil (or butter) over medium-high heat until slightly softened. Add chopped squash and sautee, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until slightly cooked. Next, add chicken stock, half-and-half, and spices to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and turn down heat as needed to simmer for ten minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree the soup in a blender (length depends on how chunky or smooth you prefer your soup, and it’s best to only fill the blender up about halfway at a time, and hold a dish towel over the edges where the lid meets the blender- let’s just say I’ve learned that from experience). Finally, sprinkle the parmesan into the soup, stir until it is mixed in, stir in the lemon juice (if desired), and add pepper and salt to taste. I ended up needing to add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, but unless you know for sure that you have three full pounds of squash, maybe add just a little salt at a time until you figure out what works for your soup. If desired, garnish with fresh tarragon.