Create Rich-Tasting Soup With Winter Squash

With their beautiful shapes and warm colors, winter squashes symbolize the bounty of autumn.

But their hard shells can make them seem complicated to cook. Furthermore, conventional recipes call for baking them for an hour or more, making them appear out of reach for those of us with busy lifestyles.

The microwave comes to the rescue. It softens the hard shells of squashes that would be difficult to cut otherwise, and it drastically reduces their cooking time.

One of the best ways to enjoy hard-shelled squashes is to turn them into a soup. To make a satisfying squash soup in minutes, I briefly simmer the soup base of onions and broth on top of the stove while I cook the squash in the microwave.

After a few minutes, I scoop out the cooked squash pulp and add it to the soup. There’s no need to puree the squash in the blender; it becomes soft and smooth as it cooks in the microwave. The result: a creamy-textured, low-fat, rich-tasting soup with a minimum of time and effort. Depending on the squash you choose, the soup will have a warm yellow or orange hue.

For a casual, healthful vegetarian supper, I serve winter squash soup as a main course topped with a dollop of nonfat sour cream and accompanied by whole-wheat bread.

Butternut Squash and Onion Soup

For a spicy accent, add a sprinkling of hot sauce to the finished soup. You might also like to top each serving of soup with a spoonful of nonfat sour cream and sprinkle it with chopped fresh dill, chives or parsley. If you find it hard to cut the squash in half, first microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shell softens.

1 tablespoon oil

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup hot water

1 small butternut squash (about 1-1/4 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt, freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in Dutch oven or large wide saucepan. Add onions and saute over medium-high heat about 4 minutes or until onions begin to brown. Add broth and hot water. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, halve squash. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH (100 percent power) 7 minutes or until tender. Remove seeds. Scoop out flesh (it will be soft). Add squash and ginger to soup. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings.