Hello, young Padawan
Because there is nothing better than a good soup to warm up after a long winter day spent crawling outside, today we are going to treat ourselves to a caliente recipe, in every sense of the word.
Chili, ginger, Madagascar pepper, turmeric… should I draw you a picture? No worries, thanks to this recipe you’ll have a great evening. A very great evening. Dinner for adults can very simply turn into dinner for all by not adding chili pepper to the children’s plate; you will be seduced by the delicacy and velvety of this recipe, which, however, does not contain any cream. Butternut, we don’t like it, we love it!
Red hot chili pepper
Longevity, reduced risk of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, we could stop there as this little red spicy wonder is full of benefits for health.
But that’s not all. Red pepper is also a panacea for the heart and its piping (a.k.a the blood system, ed) since it also reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
But what is this witchcraft? Even though the red pepper is packed with vitamins C, B, E, and PP, but also potassium, silicon, and magnesium, the miracle comes mainly from one of the components of red pepper, capsaicin, which metabolizes fat, stores energy in different organs and protects against the build-up of plaques that can clog arteries. Indeed, red pepper has a protective effect against cholesterol (with the help of vitamin PP, which supports heart function, ed). Finally, capsaicin deactivates certain cell growth regulators, making it possible to reduce the risk of cancerous tumors, primarily colon, rectum, and lung, as mentioned above.
Did you know? 75% of pathogenic bacteria responsible for intestinal intoxication are neutralized by the action of the active substances in the seasoning. If you wonder why they eat so damn spicy in hot countries, look no further.
The “hot” winter soup
For two servings
A small butternut squash (or the half of a normal one)
2 shallots
1/4 red pepper
1 small clove of garlic
A piece of fresh ginger and turmeric the size of your garlic clove
A nice knob of butter or margarine (2 tsp)
1 tsp olive oil
About 20 oz of water
4 walnuts
Salt
Madagascar pepper
Optionnal : A few sprigs of fresh coriander.
Note : If you can’t find fresh ginger or turmeric in your favorite organic store, you can use these spices in a powdered version – a teaspoon of each.
RECIPE
Peel and finely chop the shallots. Peel the garlic, remove the germ.
In a saucepan, soup kettle, or your favorite food processor, pour the oil, butter or margarine, shallots, and garlic pressed using a garlic press and brown everything over medium heat (212 °F for your food processor), for 5 to 6 min.
Meanwhile, peel the butternut squash, cut it in half, empty the core using a large spoon and cut it into small, evenly sized dice. Peel the pieces of ginger and turmeric and mince them finely.
Add the diced butternut, ginger, and turmeric, season with salt and pepper, and cover the vegetables with water. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat (212 ° F for your food processor) so that the diced squash is cooked enough, but not too much. Al dente, then. Once the vegetables are cooked, grind everything without leaving any pieces. Be careful not to burn yourself, young Padawan.
Remove the seeds from the piece of red pepper, mince it finely, add it to the soup, and stir. If you have children, ignore this last step and add it as a topping on the “grown-ups” plates only.
Remove the shells from the nuts using a nutcracker.
Optional: finely chop the coriander, set aside for serving.
DRESSAGE
In your prettiest soup plate or, like here, your prettiest handcrafted matcha bowl (this one comes from “Mariage Freres”, you can find it here, ed), pour a few spoons of this magnificent soup that will warm hearts and heat up your … you’ll see.
Crumble the walnuts by hand in the center, and, if desired, add a little chopped cilantro.
For a bigger meal, and even sexier : A nice bread slice with warm goat cheese, honey, and walnuts on a bed of young salad shoots will be the little treat that will take you to Nirvana. A suggestion of salad dressing to accompany the whole thing: 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of cider vinegar, 1 tsp of honey and mustard, salt, pepper. Tell me about it. Nirvana, I tell you.
For the wine? A riesling, or a fruity white from Pays de Loire.
I wish you to have a wonderful dinner, and for the rest of the evening, I’m not worried at all, little rascal. Nice evening again, and see you next Thursday!
XO 🌶
