Victoria

Recipe Index

CELEBRATING OCTOBER SPLENDOR

Begins on page 37

Autumn Squash Soup with Toasted Pepitas p.40

Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups 1-inch diced butternut squash
4 cups 1-inch diced baking pumpkin*
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
4 cups water
1 cup sherry
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste
1⅓ teaspoons cumin, divided
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pepitas
Garnish: sour cream

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash, pumpkin, onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Add 4 cups water, sherry, bouillon paste, 1 teaspoon cumin, hot sauce, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 40 minutes more.

4. In a medium skillet, bring maple syrup, salt, and remaining teaspoon cumin to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in pepitas; cook, stirring constantly, until pepitas release a nutty aroma and maple syrup turns a deep amber color, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Pour onto prepared pan and spread so nuts are not touching each other. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

6. In the container of a blender, purée squash mixture, working in batches, until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into pan, and simmer over medium heat until soup slightly thickens and desired consistency is reached, about 10 minutes. Garnish with sour cream, if desired, and top with toasted pepitas.

*For Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostini recipe, reserve 1 (3-inch) piece of remaining baking pumpkin.

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostini p.40

Makes 12

12 (½-inch) baguette slices, cut diagonally
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
6 ounces goat cheese
5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 (2-ounce) package thinly sliced prosciutto
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Victoria

Victoria2 min read
A Gracious Beauty
When Hilde and Dirke stumbled upon an ad for an eighteenth-century mansion just outside the city center of Bruges, Belgium, they knew the house was a dream come true. Having searched for a property with ample space and a gorgeous garden in an ideal l
Victoria3 min read
Chimes
It’s a dreary late spring day at my home in Canada. Staring out the picture window that frames a view of bare trees out back, stealing a quiet moment to catch thoughts while my toddler naps, I notice the sudden flash of a red-breasted robin alighting
Victoria2 min read
Dreaming in Petals
Dancing among pelargoniums, delphiniums, fruit trees, and ferns, blossom-laden hydrangeas bow down like ballerinas performing perfect pliés in Willy Koppenol’s lush garden. Not only does this pretty plot enhance her residence’s curb appeal, but it al

Related Books & Audiobooks