Soups in gourds

October 18th, 2009 | By: Lynn Rehn

Fall is the ideal time of the year to find a wide assortment of colorful gourds. Gourds are used not only as an ingredient for soups and stews, but as serving bowls. Gourds as serving bowls are a unique, healthy and colorful way to brighten up autumn’s cold and rainy evenings.

Gourds, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins make up the cucurbit family. High in vitamins and beta carotenes, they are very nutritious and range in flavors from mild to intense. To create the recipes for this article, I immersed myself in gourds and squash, keeping notes about the types of ingredients I wanted to use, the ideal spices and the best compliment to squash. Notebook in hand, I scoured the Issaquah Farmers’ Market and grocery stores to find the most beautiful squash. Zucchini and yellow squash are prevalent in the summer and fall. Towards mid August, Danish, butternut, turban, bitter melon, and other lesser known gourds come available. I picked up butternut squash, spaghetti squash and Danish squash at the supermarket.

Pondering the possibilities for using the spaghetti squash in a fall soup, I looked at my notes and research and came up with…Borscht! This recipe can be served hot or chilled. To achieve the colors and big flavor I was after, I decided on a pork stock. For a unique twist on traditional stock, remember that the use of neck bones in soups, stews or stocks really builds a taste that doesn’t come from other bones.

An easy way to use squash and gourd in a soup like the Borsht I created is to replace a recipe’s key ingredient with a squash, gourd, or pumpkin. Here are a few examples: For Borscht, replace cabbage with spaghetti squash. In a Hungarian goulash, replace the potatoes with Danish squash and top with yellow Danish dumplings. Another twist on a traditional squash soup: add Mexican seasoning for butternut squash soup with a Hispanic flair.

Butternut squash is a great bargain because it has just a small pod of seeds at the bottom of the squash, making nearly the entire squash usable fruit. The Danish squash is very pretty, and I like roasting them in halves so I can use the other half as a serving bowl, similar to a sourdough chowder bowl.

For a great soup or stew, stock is very important. Ideally you can make your own, but if you’re short on time use a good stock product. I prefer a paste to a powder. Below are recipes for the pork stock I used as a base for my Borsht, plus a turkey/chicken stock. Adding turkey drippings to chicken bones make a much richer chicken stock.

To make the serving bowls

4 Bright orange and green Danish Squashes Cut in half, seeds scooped:

1. Carefully cut a slice off the end of the rounded side without making a hole to create a flat surface.
2. Place bowl side down on and oiled sheet pan and roast at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until fork tender.
3. Remove and choose six halves to make the best bowls.
4. Scrap the flesh of the other two for the dumplings, yielding about 2/3 cup.
5. While the squash is baking, start the Goulash.

Pork Stock for Borscht

3 lbs pork neck bones
½ lb rough chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
4 stalks chopped celery, tops included

1. Salt and white pepper
2. Preheat oven to 450.
3. Place all of the ingredients together in roasting pan and roast 45 minutes.
4. Place ingredients into a stock pot with 2 quarts of water and 1 lb of plain pork sausage.
5. Add 2 cups of water to the roasting pan and scrape up all the caramelized bits, and add to the stock pot.
6. Simmer on medium low heat for 45 minutes, skimming fat as the stock cooks.
7. Strain and cool in refrigerator and skim fat again before using in soup.

Turkey/Chicken Stock

2 Tbsp oil or butter
Reserved turkey drippings
3lbs of chicken backs, wing tips and or feet.
4 cloves of garlic smashed
4 green onions
6 carrots peeled and chopped
1 small bunch of celery, tops included chopped
3 large onions peeled and chopped
2 quarts water
Salt and pepper

1. Heat oil or butter in a stock pot at medium to low heat, adding garlic, onion, carrots and celery when hot. As the vegetables cook, add salt and pepper.
2. When the vegetables are translucent, add the chicken parts and 2 quarts water.
3. For standard stock, add 2 bay leaves and a tied bouquet of 10 sprigs parsley, 8 leaves of sage and 2 sprigs of rosemary. To design your own stock, choose different herbs.

For an Asian style stock, add the following:

3 peeled slices of Ginger Root
Zest of one lime or 3 Kaffir lime leaves
One stalk of lemon grass, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp fish sauce, or more to taste
¼ tsp chili oil
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce.

Simmer on medium low for one hour, skimming frequently for grey debris that rises to the top. Strain and cool in refrigerator, remove fat from chilled stock.

Easy Roast Turkey

Before making the spice rub, preheat oven to 350 and melt ¼ cup lard in bottom of your roasting pan in the oven.

Spice Rub

1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 tsp. granulated onion
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp salt

Turkey

1 13 lb thawed turkey, rinsed and dried
3 onions, chopped
1 small bunch of celery, tops included, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped and peeled

1. Rub turkey inside and out with rub mixture, sliding your hand under breast skin and rubbing spice mixture in.
2. Slide one ½ cup softened butter between breast and skin.
3. Place all chopped veggies inside of turkey cavities.
4. Remove roasting pan from oven and place turkey in it.
5. Add 4 cups water to the roasting pan, cover tightly and roast for 2 hours.
6. Reduce heat to 275 and cook for 1-2 hours more, basting with pan drippings 2-3 times. While basting, check for doneness by moving the legs of the bird. When the turkey is done, the legs will move easily and some of the meat may fall from the bones.
7. Remove bird from pan when bird has reached 165 degrees in thickest part of flesh.
8. Strain drippings and place in stock pot.

Spaghetti Squash Borscht

1 3lb spaghetti squash
1.5 lbs beets
3 medium carrots grated
2 large onions finely chopped
¼ cup butter
½ tsp dill
1-2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
8 cups pork stock (you can use half chicken and half beef if that is easier for you)
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp hot sauce, such as Tapatio

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Wash squash and beets, and slice squash in half. If your beets are large, slice them in half also. Sprinkle with oil and place cut side down on a baking sheet.
3. Roast at 375 for 45 minutes or until a knife tip inserts easily. Remove from oven, and run the beets under cold water to release the skins. Grate beets and set aside. Use a fork to shred spaghetti squash, set aside.
4. While the squash and beets are roasting, grate the carrots and chop the onions.
5. Melt the butter in the stock pot and add the carrots and onions. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add dill salt and pepper and continue to cook.
6. Add 8 cups of pork stock, bring to simmer, and add the squash, beets, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Add salt, pepper and seasoning to taste.
7. Let simmer 20 minutes and add parsley. Turn off the heat.

Sour cream topping

¼ finely chopped parsley
¼ tsp dill
1 cup sour cream

1. Blend all ingredients to make topping.

Pour soup in bowls and top with a dollop of the sour cream mixture. Set the hot sauce on the table to add more if desired. This soup can be served hot or cold.

Chef Lynn’s Hispanic Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, prepared:

Preheat oven to 375. Slice in half and scoop out seeds. Place on oiled sheet pan, cut side down, and roast for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Scoop out flesh and set aside.

2 Tbsp Lard
2 large white onions, finely diced 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
Spice blend:

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp clove or all spice
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• 1 ½ tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp saffron
• ½ tsp turmeric

4 cups pork stock
2 4.5 oz. cans of chopped green chilies
2 squares 72% cacao dark chocolate
1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed

1. Melt lard in stock pot at medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and simmer until onions are translucent. Add salt and white pepper as you cook.
2. When onions are translucent, add spice blend and mix well.
3. Add green chilies, pork stock, chocolate and reserved squash.
4. Bring to low boil and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and puree until very smooth with a hand blender. Alternatively, puree in blender in small batches.
6. Place back in pot, and stir in rinsed black beans.

Whipped Cream Topping

½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup cilantro chopped
Zest of 2 limes
Juice of half a lime

1. Pour cream into a bowl and whisk briskly until thickened. Do not whip until stiff—not even a soft peak. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour soup in bowls and top with the cream mixture. Set hot sauce at table for those who like a little more heat. I like to sprinkle roasted pepitos over the top for an extra hit of salty crunchiness.

Hungarian Goulash

The idea of a Hungarian Goulash using squash instead of potatoes was quite brilliant! Serve the goulash in roasted halves of Danish squash, with small free form Danish squash dumplings dotted over the top for a spectacular look and taste. As you eat the goulash, be sure to scoop up a little bit of the inside of your “bowl”—the sweetness of the Danish squash compliments the goulash in a way a potato never could.

For Goulash

3 lbs chuck meat cut in stew chunks
2 beef marrow bones
2 Tbsp lard
Salt and pepper
2 large onions chopped
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
8 cups water

1. Heat lard in stock pot on medium high heat. When lard is very hot, add the marrow bones to brown. Set aside on a plate or a bowl to catch any juice. In batches, brown the stew meat, sprinkling with salt and pepper as you go, and set each batch on the bone plate to collect juices.
2. Reduce heat and add onion and bay leaves (add another tablespoon of lard if needed). Cook the onion and bay leaves until the onion is translucent, adding salt and pepper for flavor. When the onions are translucent, stir in the paprika.
3. Quickly add the beef and bones back into pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to low, and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 1 hour.
4. Add 6 cups of water to pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 1 hour longer, partially covered to allow some reduction. When the beef is almost shredding, remove the marrow bones and add salt and pepper to taste.

While the Goulash is on the last simmer make the dumplings:

1 egg
6 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt 2/3 cup Danish squash flesh

1. Beat egg and add other ingredients, stir with fork until well blended. Let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Drop by teaspoon onto top of gently simmering Goulash, cover and cook 20 minutes. When all the components are finishing, reheat squash halves in warm oven, and heat serving plates in microwave or the drying cycle in your dishwasher. Place squash halves on serving plates, fill with Goulash and dumplings.
3. Sprinkle with finely chopped flat leaf parsley and serve. You can also add a dollop of the sour cream mixture from the Borscht recipe.