Moroccan Butternut Squash Soup {Vegan}

In frigid single-digit Michigan winter weather, this warm & spicy butternut squash soup is good for the body and soul.  This version plays off of a basic recipe.  Play with the spices if you like.  If you dislike curry powder as some do, just use what you like instead.  Sage & thyme is a nice combo. The spice amounts below are a rough estimate, as I made my own curry powder today.

Squash is an awesome source of prebiotic fiber and great for the digestive system.  Bulk up those benefits by adding fresh ginger and extra garlic.


MOROCCAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients: 

2 carrots, rough chop
2 celery stalks, rough chop
1 medium onion, diced
2 T coconut oil (or sub butter)
2 cloves minced garlic or 1 roasted head of garlic
8 cups of water
{The above ingredients make the veggie broth, but feel free to use 2 boxes of store bought}

1 large butternut squash (mine was 4.5 lbs)
2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp curry powder (or use a variety of curry spices to make your own)
2 T chopped cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large soup pot, heat fat.  Add in the onions, carrots and celery and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 8 cups water and the 2 tsp salt and turn to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover.

Cut butternut squash in half and scoop the seeds out.  Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and roast, cut side down for 45 minutes, until fork tender.  Let cool for 20 minutes or until you can handle it.

Scoop the squash right into your broth.  Add the ground spices and let simmer for 30-60 minutes.  Add cilantro and a squeeze of lemon if you like.  Whiz with an immersion blender and serve with a bit more cilantro garnish.

Lamb Tagine with Chickpea Couscous Pilaf & Sweet Potato Mash

In support of the Moroccan protests, my friend Katie and I made Lamb Tagine.  Actually, my dear old Dad had cut this recipe out of the WSJ and gave it to me.  Our timing with making it just happened to coincide with the madness.  In any case, this is a dish that requires two days of preparation, a considerable variety of spices....and is WELL worth the effort! 

The first day is the prep work and cooking of the dish.  After a sleepover in your fridge, all that has to be done on day two is a slow re-heat. The result is falling-off-the-bone lamb in a rich, sweet sauce.  Apricots, prunes and buttery onions offer a decadent base, fresh ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper give it some heat, while coriander, cumin and cinnamon give it a tantalizing & exotic warmth.  

We served it with mashed sweet potatoes (seasoned with ginger, cumin, butter & brown sugar) and chickpea-couscous (turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, carrots, mint).   For a topping, I fried some almonds and also some mint for its pretty green color.  As for wine pairings, we chose some equally spicy, warm reds: Bogle Phantom (Petite Syrah, Old Vine Zin & Old Vine Mourvedre blend) and Valpolicella by Solane.

Let's just say that everyone was a member of the clean plate club.  Do yourself (and friends) a favor and host a Tagine Tuesday dinner party!

NOTE:  recipe calls for golden raisins, but the apricots we used instead were delectable.  I can't see how raisins would be better....then again I really dislike raisins....

Also, we probably spent 40% of a typical Whole Foods or Westborn grocery bill by shopping at small independent markets. The lamb was from Hoff's in Warren, and most everything else was from Dijla (12 & John R). They're a very modest Middle-Eastern market and have a great selection of high-quality dried fruits, nuts and "staple" vegetables.

The beautifully organized prep area. ;)

Lamb and seasonings in the pot before the stew....