Curry stars in warming winter soups

I got a call the other day asking if I had any recipes using curry. I recalled that a few years back I had offered some winter soups starring that warm condiment, so here they are, ready to warm the cockles of your heart!

Of interest is the difference in quantity of curry powder in most of these recipes. My advice: Taste throughout! If the recipe only calls for a teaspoon, taste after stirring it in and add more as you wish.

Curried Butternut Soup

(Serves 8)

1 pound butternut* squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups water

1 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/4 cup grated coconut, lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place cut-up squash in a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss; spread onto the foil-lined pan and bake for 35 minutes or until golden and tender.

When squash is nearly done, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add onion. Cook 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Add squash, water and curry, sprinkle with remaining salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add half-and –half; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and coconut milk. Let stand for 15 minutes. Place half of squash mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into a warm tureen or bowl and repeat with the other half if the soup; add to the tureen, sprinkle top of soup with cilantro leaves, grated coconut and hot chili slices as desired. Serve into warm bowls.

• You may substitute another sweet squash like sweet dumpling or acorn as you wish, making sure to adjust seasonings for best taste to the finished soup. Too, feel free to use canned or frozen squash to save time and effort!

Carrots and curry are great together. This elegant soup is great served hot or cold!

Curried Carrot Soup

(Serves six)

6 large carrots, pared, chopped

2 cups water

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon curry

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Garnish: Sour cream, minced basil, red pepper flakes (any or all) OR toasted coconut

Bring prepared carrots to a boil in water to cover in a large saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.

Drain, cool completely. When cool, combine carrots with stock and place in a blender, or use hand-held blender in the saucepan. Combine until smooth. In the pan, add cream, curry, salt and pepper and stir in well.

Cook over low heat — do NOT boil — until mixture is heated through. Pour into soup tureen and garnish as desired, according to what your main course is. This is delicious.

Curried Lentil Soup

(Four servings)

1 tablespoon oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger*

1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

Pinch of ground red pepper

3 cups water

11/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 pound dry lentils, cooked, drained

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, de-stemmed, sliced into narrow strips

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, sauté about 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, sauté 1 minute; add curry powder and red pepper, cook only 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add water, vinegar and cooked lentils. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Place half of mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Return blended mixture to saucepan and add spinach, salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat until spinach wilts, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro.

Mix well and serve with yogurt and remaining cilantro as topping for individual bowls.

• I often use finely grated candied or preserved ginger.

Finally, the “ne plus ultra! Remember, you can start with lobster meat to save time and effort!

Curried Lobster Bisque

(for six people)

6 to 8 4-to 6-ounce lobster tails

4 carrots, grated

4-6 potatoes, peeled cut into cubes

1 small sweet onion, peeled, very finely minced

2 stalks celery, whole, with tops

1 sprig parsley, finely snipped, no stems

3 cups vegetable stock

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk (half-and-half, if desired)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon curry powder

Mesh bag with 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns, 1 teaspoon coriander pods/seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Toasted coconut and grated lemon peel for garnish (optional)

Steam lobster tails, cool, remove meat from shells and split shells lengthwise. Shred meat with fingers, cover and place in refrigerator. Pull tiny “legs” from belly part of shells, wash shells well. In large pot, combine shells, carrots, potatoes, onion, whole celery stalks, bag of seasonings.

Pour in stock to cover by about 1 inch or so. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and carefully, with tongs, remove and discard shells, celery stalks, and bag of seasonings. With hand-held blender puree until potatoes are blended and mixture is fairly smooth. Set aside.

In another saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour, cooking and whisking to make a roux. Cook until just beginning to brown, then whisk in milk until thickened. Stir in pureed vegetables, reserved lobster meat, cream (and 1/4 cup sherry if you are a purist) and curry powder. Stir and cook until just heated through, tasting for seasoning.

Serve, passing small bowls of toasted coconut, grated lemon peel and whipped cream for “stir-ins” if desired. I would definitely serve this with a brut champagne or fine white wine.

(But of course, by now you all know that I would serve champagne with hot cakes or oatmeal if push came to shove.)

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.