Butternut & Beet Soup

What a lazy weekend. It's really hot outside!  I would love to head to the beach, take a picnic lunch and my kindle, dip in the ocean a couple times to cool off and just relax.  I'm finding it hard to believe I live in Australia and in one year's time, I've only had a few days to relax on the beach.  It suddenly occurred to me this weekend, that I might as well just go do it when the mood strikes me, by myself if necessary.  Steve hates heat and humidity, and he isn't a fan of sand.  He is worn out from work and wants to sit and relax in our air conditioned cubicle of an apartment.  I've no one to blame for my lack of beach time but myself!  Guess I best prioritize that on my list of things to do soon!

Meanwhile, out of sheer boredom, and a need to use up vegetables in my house before they become liquified, putrified bags of slimey goo, I created a new-to-me version of butternut soup.  Butternut soup is always quite lovely to see, and taste, but this version is more intense!

It elicited a positive remark from Steve, who generally would leave butternut soup off his preferred list!  He said it was really good, and punctuated that remark with three servings of soup!

Please know, I don't always have precise measurements when I'm cooking.  I tend to taste and adjust as I go.  (Yes, using clean spoons, because I find double dipping disgusting!)  This has a citrus flavor, so if you don't think you will like that, leave the orange juice and grated peel out of it or use less.

BUTTERNUT & BEET SOUP
 Seems like this made nearly 3 liters of soup

2 medium butternut squash
2 large beets
2 large green apples
2 pears
1 large orange
2 onions
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1/4 to 1/2 tsp nutmeg
water, but I didn't measure it, I just kept adding as I thought it needed some

First, peel and seed the squash, cutting into 1/2 in thick slices.  Peel and cut beets in 1/2 inch slices. Peel and slice apples and onions and pear into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Grate orange peel and then juice the orange and put into a large stock pot.

Use a little olive or coconut oil to grease 2 nonstick cookie sheets and rub it over the veggies a little bit too.  Lay out squash and beets and bake about 325 for 25-45 min, adding a bit of water to each tray off and on so it won't all burn.  Turn veggies over half way through so they don't burn. Remove from oven when tender. I have used a convection oven so it goes a bit faster, just cook until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, take onions, apples, pear and a little bit of water to quickly saute them all in a fry pan.  Cook until tender, adding water as you need to keep them from burning.  Add salt and pepper, tarragon, nutmeg and turmeric while cooking these.  

Puree batches of roasted beets, squash, apple, pear and onion with some water, start with a cup or two of water and progress if you need a thinner consistency.  Pour that into the large stock pot with the orange juice and grated orange peel . Keep pureeing onions, apples, pears, squash and beets with a cup or so of water until everything is pureed and you are happy with the consistency of it.  Stir it all up really well with the orange juice and peel and reheat but don't boil.  You might want to add more salt but I didn't need to.  Serve with some yummy fresh sourdough or seed bread!  If you don't think you like a citrus flavor in it, just omit the orange juice and grated orange peel.

Steve and I really liked this soup.