Acorn Squash & Mango Soup

Use acorn squash to make a delicious soup.

Warm up in the colder months by making an acorn squash and mango soup. It may sound like an unusual combination, but squash and mango pair well together. The sweet taste of mango complements the more dense flavor of the acorn squash. Roasting the squash means you don't have to peel it beforehand and adds more flavor to the soup. The recipe makes about four servings of soup. You can double it if needed.

Things You'll Need

• 2 pounds acorn squash (about 2 medium)
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Teaspoon or grapefruit spoon
• Baking sheet
• Olive oil
• Oven
• Timer
• 4-quart sauce pan or Dutch oven
• Onion
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• Mango, peeled and cut into cubes or 1 cup frozen mango cubes
• Salt to taste
• Immersion blender
• 1/2 cup milk, cream or coconut milk
• Ladle
• Serving bowls
• Mango slices, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut the acorn squash in half along the equator. Scoop out the seeds from the middle of each piece of squash using the spoon. A grapefruit spoon, with a serrated edge, is an excellent tool for this task, though a regular teaspoon will work as well.

2. Turn the oven on to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Rub a thin layer of olive oil on the cut side of each piece of squash and place, cut-side down, on the baking sheet. Slide into the oven and roast until very soft. You should be able to slide a butter knife into the skin of the squash when they are cooked.

4. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool.

5. Scoop the flesh of the squash out from the skins when cool enough to touch without burning yourself. Discard the skins and set the squash flesh aside.

6. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the saucepan on medium heat on the stove. Chop the onion, then add to the oil and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and slightly golden.

7. Add the curry powder to the onion and stir to coat.

8. Add the cooked squash to the onion mixture, then add the vegetable broth and mango. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir every so often while it simmers.

9. Turn off the stove and puree the soup in the saucepan with the immersion blender.

10. Add salt to taste, then add a 1/2 cup of milk, cream or coconut milk. Stir to mix in, then turn the stove back on low to gently heat the soup.

11. Ladle soup into serving bowls once warmed through. Garnish each bowl with a slice of mango, then serve.