I recently made this soup for my Guest Chef appearance at INTEL. Click here to see that non-paleo recipe.
Here is my PALEO version:
Ingredients
- 1 medium Butternut squash, roasted (or steamed)
- 3 medium potatoes (boiling potatoes), roasted (or steamed) (NOTE: based on what I’ve read I believe that in-ground foods were dug up and used during the Paleo era. Click here to read more about potatoes in the Paleo diet.)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped (t’is a shorter, wider and sweeter variety)
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 2-inch ginger, thin slivers (no need to peel)
- 1 cup coconut flakes, blended with 2 cups water; and strained)
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter or hazelnut butter
- 1 tsp tamarind paste (or more to taste)
- 1 small anaheim or poblano pepper, seeds and membranes removed (or for more heat use a jalapeno pepper, or for very spicy: serrano, habanero or thai pepper)
- 1 orange, juice and pulp
- 1 lime, juice and pulp
- 1 tsp kelp granules
Directions
1. Roast or steam the squash and potatoes: cut the squash in half, length wise, place face-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Add the potatoes to the baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until soft, about 40 minutes. Remove the squash seeds, scoop out the squash, set aside. Remove the potato skins.
TIP: use parchment paper for easier removal of squash from the pan, and clean up is easier, too.
TIP: t’is easier to remove the squash seeds after being cooked.
TIP: t’is easier to remove the potato skins after being cooked. Rub the potato in a cloth, I use a thick terry cloth, and the skins remove easily.
2. Meanwhile, dry saute’ the mirepoix: put the onions, celery, carrots and ginger in pan and cook for 10 minutes on medium-to-low heat, stir often, very often. Add the coconut milk and broth to deglaze the pan.
3. Make creamy: add the rest of the ingredients and blend until creamy.
TIP: use a blender (a high-speed blender works best) … or… use an emersion blender (will take longer time than a blender).