Excellent Soup Recipe!

I had this wonderfully delicious soup at the Finn Bakery in Magnolia Village, in Seattle, last week:

Spicy Chickpea and Butternut Squash Soup

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

½ cup diced celery

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and diced into chunks

2 cups (16 oz.) canned diced tomatoes

2 cups (16 oz.) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

12 cups vegetable stock

2 cups tomato juice

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

1 Tbsp. ground coriander

1 cup flaked coconut

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

1 tsp. minced Scotch bonnet chile pepper*

½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes.

Add the butternut squash and sauté an additional 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, tomato juice, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, coriander, coconut, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender, 35-40 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the coconut milk, chile pepper, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Makes 12 servings.

*Scotch bonnet chile peppers are loaded with heat and an exotic flavor and aroma. A close cousin is the habanero pepper. You may substitute bottled habanero hot sauce (available at supermarkets and Caribbean specialty shops) if you cannot find fresh Scotch bonnet peppers.

Druker, Marjorie and Silverstein, Clara. New England Soup Factory Cookbook. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2007. 128-129.