Kabocha and Tomatillo Soup
The best American name for this vegetable would probably be “Mexican green tomato”, but they actually taste nothing like regular tomatoes, In fact, the tomatillo is not a tomato at all. The tomatillo has a tart, lemony flavor that is enhance when cooked (especially roasted) and is an excellent base for salsas. While salsa (salsa verde) is the most popular way to enjoy tomatillo, they can be used in other ways. Tomatillos contain high amounts of vitamin A&C. Tomatillos are our #2 sales item!
Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh tomatillos, peeled
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 head of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 medium-large kabocha squash, seeded and diced
6 cups stock
2 cups water
3 cups tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 Hungarian Hot Wax peppers, diced
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425. Slice the tomatillos in half and place them cut side up on a baking sheet. Roast them for 20-30 minutes, or until they have started to brown a bit and are nice and soft.
In a large soup pot, heat a bit of olive oil or lard over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, or until you can really smell the garlic. Next, add the squash, stock, hot peppers and tomatoes and stir well. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender. Add the tomatillos.
Blend the soup (either in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender) until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste (Secret Stash Salt Smoked Chipotle salt works well here) and serve with a bit of Crème fraîche or heavy cream.
Our Notes: Not only did we enjoy this soup for dinner, we had it for lunch for 3 days afterwards. It was the perfect balance of summer and fall. Sweet, smooth, savory, complex, and tangy. The fiber in the squash means that the soup is exceedingly filling. Try adding some diced andouille sausage or shredded chicken for extra protein. For a crunch, top the soup with tortilla strips or crumbled tortilla chips. Fresh corn kernels would also be a good topping. One of the very best things about this soup is that it has almost no fat and depending on the type of stock you use, it can be vegetarian or even vegan.
From cooklocal.com