Warming Squash Soup
This soup is all about the garnishes. The black bean-garlic sauce (a staple Chinese stir-fry ingredient) gives the soup a rich, fermented, salty element that tames the squash’s sweetness, while the puffed rice cereal adds an everso light crunch.
2 Tbs. / 30 ml olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups / 300 g. squash or pumpkin purée
1 medium potato, diced (1/2 cup)
¾ cup / 200 g. diced tomatoes (1/2 can)
pinch cayenne pepper
bay leaf, thyme sprig
4 cups /1 liter water
black bean-garlic sauce, puffed rice cereal, for garnish
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the garnishes. Cover, and simmer 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
Place 1 tsp. black bean-garlic sauce in a small bowl, and stir in 1 tsp. hot water. Drizzle the mixture over each serving of soup, and sprinkle with puffed rice.
