Sopa de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Soup)
First, I want to say thank you to all of you guys that check my site or get my newsletter regularly – even when there is a bit of a lull. You guys are truly what keep me coming back, inspiring me to share my recipes and thoughts on cultural foods. With the weather turning a bit cool here in NYC, I’ve been on a soup-making kick as of late. It just feels right – that warm comfort – and I’ve been experimenting like crazy: lentils with coconut, a kicked up chicken and barley soup, no-cream squash and apple.
This is a recipe straight from Exotic Table – inspired by a traditional Mexican soup. Squash blossoms are the delicate, edible flowers of the zucchini plant and can often be found at the farmers’ market. The traditional, Mexican version of this soup purées the squash blossoms right in, but I think they are more beautiful left whole, to finish the soup. With the corn, potatoes, and squash, this soup is silky and rich without any cream, but a dollop of crème fraiche at the end really brings the flavor together. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a small dice
1 medium butternut squash, cut into a small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
A small bunch of thyme
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
tiny pinch saffron (optional)
3 ears of corn, kernels removed and scraped for juice
8-10 large squash blossoms
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Crème fraîche, for garnish
Procedure
In a soup pot, heat the unsalted butter over medium-low. Add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the potatoes, squash and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add in the stock, thyme, bay leaf and saffron and bring up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
Now, add in the corn kernels and any juice from the corn and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.
Remove the thyme bunch and the bay leaf, and purée the soup in a blender, working in batches. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I like the squash blossoms to be slightly raw, so I put 2 of them in each bowl along with a dollop of crème fraiche and pour the hot soup right over. The soup wilts them just enough.