Nicey, spicey–loved this squash and curry stew

A simple soup supper on a weeknight—with a soup packed with all kinds of goodness. That’s what emerged when I tried Yellow Squash and Curry Stew.

I’ve always loved the kicky spice of curry and was intrigued with the idea of combining it with yellow squash. I made my own vegetable broth instead of purchasing the canned variety; that contributed to the health factor. Hubby’s question when I served it: “Is anything about this not healthy?” Nada, nada.

Roasting the squash in the oven before pureeing part of it enhanced the flavor. And talk about colorful! This fairly danced off the table with its color burst. Fragrant, too! Wondrous aromas filled the house while the stew was cooking.

Yellow Squash and Curry Stew

2 pounds yellow squash, coarsely chopped

1 medium-sized sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided (or salt substitute)

3 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth, divided

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together first 7 ingredients and 1 teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer in a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Stir halfway through roasting process. Remove from oven; process 2 cups squash mixture and 1 cup broth in a blender or food processor until all is smooth. Divide remaining squash mixture among 4 shallow soup bowls. Stir together vegetable puree and remaining 2 cups broth in a 3-quart saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat; whisk in butter, lime juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon broth mixture over squash mixture in bowls. Sprinkle with fresh herbs; serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. (Source: Southern Living, May 2013)

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Squash in tortilla soup a wonderful addition to a dime-a-dozen dish

Whoever heard of squash in tortilla soup? Yet that’s exactly the feature that drew me to this recipe. One-half pound yellow summer squash floating in chicken broth with grape tomatoes alongside it (and garnished with avocado, cilantro, and baked tortilla strips) sounded as though it would be a winner of a meal. It was.

Tortilla soup recipes are a dime a dozen; I usually love every one I try, but none ever has been a standout quite like this one (thanks, Prevention magazine, September 2011 issue).

While the squash appealed to my taste buds, Hubby called attention to the chipotle “kick” after the first few bites had settled in. “It’s a good kick, though,” he explained. I noted that anything labeled tortilla soup has to have that South of the Border jolt. We both also liked the toasted tortilla strips cut up to top the soup—good way to use up extra tortillas that (at our house, at least) seem to just lounge around in the fridge.

This recipe made enough to warm the insides of the two of us for a couple of days. With the pre-autumn temps lowering slightly this week, we didn’t mind the “inside-warming” a bit.

Tortilla Soup

1 medium white onion, quartered

1 1/2 pounds grape tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 pound yellow summer squash, sliced

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)

1 avocado, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro sprigs

3 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas, sliced and toasted (I broiled mine briefly in the oven)

On foil-lined baking sheet broil onion and 1 pound of the tomatoes; broil 5 inches from heat. Turn until slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop in food processor; add garlic and chop further. Into a kettle add tomato-garlic mixture, squash, broth, adobo sauce, and remaining tomatoes. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve in bowls topped with avocado, cilantro, and toasted tortilla strips. Makes 6 servings.