Soup is my favourite food. It was one of the first foods I tried to create on my own as a child. Today's recipe cooks quickly and is very simple and flexible. The hardest, most time-consuming part of this recipe is preparing the squash. This step can be eliminated by using pre-cut or frozen squash.
The soup is seasoned with ginger and gremolata for a light, summery, fresh flavour. Gremolata is a blend of parsley, garlic and lemon zest that has been chopped / mixed together and used to garnish soups and stews. But, you can dress this soup up in a variety of ways by changing the seasoning and the garnish to suit your mood. Try Indian spices for a curried tomato soup, or mix basil half and half with the parsley in the gremolata for a pesto flavouring. Or use a poultry seasoning blend – fresh or dried. You get the idea. Play and have fun with it. When adding herbs, it is best to add the dried ones while you are cooking and the fresh herbs at the end of cooking as fresh herbs lose their flavours and aromas very quickly.
Soup
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
2 cups cooked or one can of white beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen (about half a 2 pound squash)
1-796 ml or 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
Gremolata
zest of one lemon
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup packed parsley leaves and small stems, minced
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice