Conference turris::cooks

    I just tried this last night, and it is delicious approaching
    chocolate, which is very strong praise coming from a certified
    chocoholic:
    
    Victory Garden Chestnut Squash Soup
    
    2 Tbsp butter (I used Latta, a butter substitute)
    1 onion
    1 stalk celery
    1 carrot
    a 2-3 lb squash (mine was more like 4, but who is counting)
    	of some orange-fleshed winter variety (mine was butternut)
    5 cups chicken broth (I only had 4 on hand, so added a cup of water)
    1/2 lb chestnuts
    1/4 tsp ground ginger
    1 1/2 cups light cream (I'm not going to use this)
    salt/pepper
    
    Melt butter in a 4 quart pot/sauce pan.  Chop onion, celery, carrot.
    Add to butter and saute over low heat.  Peel chestnuts* and add to
    pot.  Peel and deseed squash.  Cut squash into chunks (1 to 1 1/2
    inch cubes is fine) and add to pot.  Add 4 cups broth.  Bring to
    a boil and simmer 30-40 minutes or until squash and chestnuts are
    tender.  Add ginger, if desired.  Puree soup in a blender (best done
    in small batches to avoid spilling), adding the additional 1 cup
    broth.  Stir in cream; correct salt if needed (I used chicken broth
    granules) and add freshly grated pepper to taste.  Reheat to serve.
    
    Comments:
    
    - The amount of squash is not precise - I used a lot more.  You could
      get away with canned or frozen squash, very likely.
    - The type of broth is not critical - chicken, turkey, or vegetable
      would all be fine.
    - I made this last night, planning to add the cream and reheat the
      soup on Thanksgiving day.  After tasting the soup, I don't think
      it needs the cream at all - it was very very good.  So I'm going
      to leave out the cream - I don't need the extra calories and fats
      anyhow!
    
    * Peeling Raw Chestnuts:  This is easier said than done.  You can
      always buy the ready-peeled type in jars, although that is expensive.
      Victory Garden Cookbook suggests bringing some water to boil in 
      a large pot, cutting an x in the top of each nut, boiling for 10 
      minutes, removing and cooling to a touchable temperature, and then
      peeling with a sharp knife.  I tried microwaving in a closed
      container (after cutting the x) - they were difficult to peel.  Be
      sure to use the knife and not your nails - you will have hurting
      fingers from jamming shell under your nails otherwise.  Also be sure
      to remove all the bitter brown skin, and check out every discolored
      spot for rot or borers - one nut I peeled had 4 borers in it but it
      looked pretty bad.
    
    This soup is well worth the extra effort.  I have never compared the
    deliciousness of anything to chocolate before!
    
    --Louise
    

    Has anyone Microwaved butternut squash. I have a 3 lb squash that I
    want to half and cover with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. It takes
    too long to cook in the conventional oven so I thought I would try the
    microwave.
    
    Anybody know how long it would take?
    

    
    
    	Rep .2
    
    
    	I do it all the time, here's what I do.
    
    	Cut the squash in half remove the seeds and place the 
    	butter, ... in the seed cavity. Place the squash in a
    	microwave safe container and add about 1/2" of very hot
    	to the container. Cover with plastic wrap and nuke it
    	for 15 minutes on high power. Check for doneness and 
    	nuke it somemore if needed. 
    
    	-mike
    

>>    	butter, ... in the seed cavity. Place the squash in a
>>    	microwave safe container and add about 1/2" of very hot
>>    	to the container. Cover with plastic wrap and nuke it
    

	Uh-oh, I see a pattern here, Bill.  Maybe you get sucked
	into a black hole if you type the word "water"....ahhhhhh!

    
    
    	Rep .4
    
    
    	Oops, mea culpa, yes it should read "1/2" of very hot water"
    	I don't worry about black holes btw I got sucked into one
    	in another life but it spit me out because it didn't like
    	the taste!!! ;-)  <it's Mike btw>
    
    	-mike
    
    

>>    	the taste!!! ;-)  <it's Mike btw>

    I was directing the comment to Bill French, who noticed the missing
    word in another recipe.

    Diane

    
    

    I Microwave butternut squash, but I peel it and cut it into chunks, put it
    in a covered micowave dish with just a couple Tbs of water for about 4
    min, stop and stir, drain some of the liquid if there is now too much
    and microwave for another 3-4 minutes at a time until the squash is
    tender.  I find that done this way the squash is not real watery. 

    If you halve the squash and turn it cut side down on a plate, you
    should need little or no water and no plastic wrap cover.
    
    L
    

    Another variation is to use the cavitity part like acorn squash.
    
    I put in a dab of butter, 1 Tablespoon Sherry (or apple juice), some
    cinnamon cover lightly with wax paper and cook until done.
    
    mj