recipe - autumn squash stew

As soon as the weather gets cooler, all my husband wants to eat is soup! Although he's not picky, I like some variety to our suppers, so I have a pretty good collection of recipes that I can pull out as the season changes. This stew is very easy, tasty, and filling, making it one of our favourites. It's also a nice change from the more common spicy or curry squash soups.

Autumn Squash Stew

Makes about 4 adult servings
Prep and cooking time: approx. 45 minutes

Ingredients
2 lbs squash
2 medium yellow potatoes
2 medium tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
4 fresh sage leaves (or 1 tsp dried sage)
1/4 cup dry white wine (if you want to be fancy)
chili flakes, salt, pepper (to taste)

A note about selecting squash: most grocery stores now carry a variety of squashes, and farmer's markets will have even more. I like this stew best with 2 kinds of squash in it, so it has more depth of flavour. Usually I'll pair a paler, milder tasting squash (such as acorn or delicata) with a darker, stronger squash (such as butternut or sugar pumpkin). Whichever you like, make sure you pick ones with thinner skins that can be peeled.

1. Peel the squash and potatoes, and dice them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Place your soup pot on a medium-heat burner and add the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add the squash and potatoes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes just start to turn golden (they may stick a bit to the bottom of the pan, but don't worry, they'll come off later).
3. While the squash and potatoes are cooking, dice the tomatoes. Add them to the pot and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the broth and herbs (and wine) to the pot. Also add the chili flakes, if you're using them. Once the soup is simmering, turn the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the squash and potatoes are soft.
5. Remove the bay and sage leaves. Transfer about 2 cups of soup to a blender or food processor, and blend until very smooth. Add this back to the pot. Taste the stew, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

This is a nice lunch on it's own, or make it a complete supper with some sour-dough bread and your favourite cheese.

P.S. I have some knitting news to share with you soon, so check back in a few days!
p.p.s. one of these days I might learn how to take pretty pictures of soup. Until then, don't worry about how it looks, it tastes delicious!