Put a Kabocha in Your Crack Pipe

I'm not kidding here. Kabocha squash (or pumpkin) is like crack.  You can prepare it steamed, in Thai curries, in soups or just roasted in some coconut oil in the oven with a bit of salt and pepper.  It's crack-like qualities are more magnified in its cold, refrigerated, leftover stage.  I swear I could pick at it all day.

So when my cooking club did a soup and grilled cheese Fall Feast themed cooking night past weekend, I was glad when the Roasted Kabocha Soup with Sage ended up coming my way.  Everyone else was eager to work on the clam chowder or pumpkin black bean soup.  But like Cinderella, Kabocha squash only needed a bit of dressing up and she became the star of the evening.  I know I keep repeating myself here, but sage and squash--one of the absolute best flavor combos out there.

Photos are much more intriguing than blah, blah, blah, so I'll let the photo menu tell the story.  Cooking groups sure are swell.

Proscuitto wrapped asparagus for starters...

Fig and Gouda grilled cheese with balsamic drizzle; apple, bacon and cheddar grilled cheese...

New England Clam Chowdah...

 Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup...

Roasted Kabocha Soup with Sage and Bacon...

NY Times Lentil soup with fresh Cilantro...

Apple Custard Tart...

 Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Pancetta and Sage

Adapted from Gourmet October 2000

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr
Yield: Makes 8 servings (about 11 cups)
1 (4-lb) kabocha squash, halved and seeded
3-4 tbsp olive oil
20 whole fresh sage leaves plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/4 lb sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Roast squash:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roast squash, cut sides down, in an oiled roasting pan in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh from skin.


Fry sage leaves while squash roasts:
Heat olive oil in small pan until sage leaf dropped in sizzles upon contact. Fry sage leaves in 3 batches until crisp, 3 to 5 seconds. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Cook bacon and make soup:
Cook bacon in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until browned. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Add olive oil to bacon fat remaining in pot, then cook onion, stirring, until softened. Stir in garlic and chopped sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add squash, broth, and water and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Purée soupusing immersion blender.   If necessary, thin to desired consistency with water.

Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve sprinkled with pancetta and fried sage leaves.