Had fun cooking one of BlueApron.com menu delivered today with my son. Spicy Pork Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale. We purchased extra lots of Sourdough Bread to go with it since the portion turned out to serve more than two people. Fed all of us five and still had enough left over for my son's evening snack.
It is truly an adventurous cooking with the new tastes. Tasty spice mixtures of curry and heat complimented by subtle sweetness from the squash.
10 oz Ground Pork
1-1/4 C canned Cannellini Beans - drained
3 Cloves of Minced Garlic
2 Oz Lacinato Kale
1 Butternut Squash - Cut, seeded and chopped into chunks
1 Lemon Quartered twice and seeds removed
1 Red Onion, chopped
1 small Bunch Sage - at least three stemfull - removed from stem and chopped finely.
Parmesan Cheese Sage Pesto:
1 Tbsp Walnuts crushed
1/3 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp Squash Soup Spice Blend - Some flour mixed with Ras El Hanout, Ground Turmeric, Ground Nutmeg, and Ground Cardamom -- Measurement is not sure, but experiment with 1 tsp each of Ras El Hanout, Ground Turmeric, Pinch of Nutmeg, and pinch of Ground Cardamom. If they tastes all right, then, quadruple the measurements.
Extra ingredients Need: Olive Oil for saute; Salt and Black Pepper; some drinking white wine - Vermouth, for example, to cook with; Sourdough Bread, Baguette, or French Bread. 1/4 C Pure Olive Oil
Heat a sauce pan large enough to hold 4 to 5 cups of liquid plus ingredients - over medium-high heat - depending on your stove's BTU.
When the pan is hot enough, add Olive Oil. When Olive Oil starts to shimmer, add Squash and cook till slightly tender. Some might lightly brown. 6 to 10 minutes.
Add onion, stir fry a bit with Squash. 2 min. Add Garlic. Stir and cook 1 min. - Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
Move vegetables to the side of the pan and add ground pork. Stir fry pork and break down the pork. 6 to 8 min. Add white wine to pork and stir fry to cook until wine evaporates.
Stir in vegetables on the side and cook with pork. Add spice mixtures and cook. Stir fry till fragrant and thoroughly combined.
Add the chopped Kale to the pan. Add 4 C of water. Bring to boil.
Turn to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced and everything is tender. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Squeeze half of the lemon. Stir and Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While the soup is cooking, prepare the Pesto:
Combine finely chopped sage, crushed walnuts, crumbled cheese, and the lemon juice from the remaining lemon wedges. Slowly add enough olive oil to create a rough paste. Season with salt and pepper to tastes.
To serve:
Serve the soup into bowls and Top with walnut cheese pesto.
Serve with your favorite French bread/Sourdough bread.
