Five Squash Soup and Lime Caramel Corn is probably the most playful dish I have ever made, and that’s a compliment, to be clear. I have to say, that I am quite proud of this one from a design perspective; after years of enjoying meals made magic by chefs like Wylie Dufresne who really play with their food, I’m glad I finally stepped up and took a small stab at it. Five Squash Soup and Lime Caramel Corn was a fun dish not just for the cook, it was a joy to serve to guests at my Caribbean Thanksgiving because of its playful characteristics. One can’t help but smile when a bright orange bowl of steaming soup is before them and it’s covered in popcorn and coconut chips! But it’s not just style without the flavor to back it up. The coconut milk, curry and kaffir lime are much of the secret to creating a rather unexpected sort of squash soup. Five Squash Soup and Lime Caramel Corn has some serious zing and tang to it, which accents beautifully on top of a base of savory fennel, onion, and celery that you’d expect of a roasted squash soup. But the pièce de résistance is of course, the lime caramel corn toppping on the Five Squash Soup cake. Five Squash Soup and Lime Caramel Corn is also a great soup to make in this large quantity and freeze to enjoy all winter long.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced (3 cups)
- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 8 stalks celery
- ⅓ cup sliced fresh ginger (+)
- 1 teaspoon madras curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 6 pounds squash (I used butternut, kabocha, acorn, pumpkin and delicata)
- 2 cups water
- four 13 ½-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 5 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 teaspoon lime zest)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- sea salt
- coconut chips or coconut flakes (not shredded- Trader Joe's sells some great chips)
- Lime Caramel Corn
- Preheat to 450° F.
- Halve and seed the squash. Place flesh side down in a large roasting pan.
- Add water to keep the pan from scorching.
- Roast until tender (60 minutes).
- Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pot, melt the butter.
- Add the onion, fennel, and celery.
- Slice ginger and add to the pot.
- Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft.
- Add the cayenne and curry powder and a tablespoon of salt. Cook for a minute or two.
- Add the water and lime leaves.
- Turn off the pot and cover.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop it out of the skin and add to the soup.
- Simmer on low for 10-20 minutes.
- Remove the lime leaves, but reserve. Purée the soup using a food processor, blender or immersion blender.
- Trick to get the squash out of the blender? Add a can of coconut milk.
Run it for a few seconds until the squash mixes into the milk and then pour it all into the soup pot. - Add the rest of the coconut milk, lime leaves (again), cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes longer.
- Discard the lime leaves. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt.
- Garnish with the lime caramel popcorn and coconut chips.
- The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Serves 24! (Soup freezes well, so go for it).
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 3 celery stalks
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon madras curry powder
- dash cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds of variety of squash
- 3/4 cup water
- one 13 ½-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon lime zest)
- 3/4 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- sea salt
- coconut chips or coconut flakes (not shredded- Trader Joe's sells some great chips)
- Lime Caramel Corn
- ½ cup popcorn kernals
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ a lime's juice
- zest of two limes
- Melt the butter and add brown sugar in the microwave and add zest, salt, and cayenne.
- Mix well.
- Add the lime juice.
- Pop the popcorn in an air popper.
- Toss the popped corn in the lime caramel.
- Spread on a lined baking sheet.
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- Preheat oven to 250° F.
- Bake for 45 minutes tossing every 10-15 minutes.
- Break apart and let cool.
- Store in an airtight container until you're ready to use.
