Color abounds. It's there all 'round. We need but notice.
I opened my fridge and there they were. Lime green and white leeks, buff-colored butternut squash, and purple and orange sweet potatoes. Not purple potatoes but purple sweet potatoes. I sliced the leek vertically leaving the root intact to prevent the layers from completely separating. A leek's layers are magnets for soil, so just run 'em under water to rinse the soil away. Cut off the root ends and tough, dark green tops. Some sources recommend using only the white and pale green parts of leeks. Others say to include a bit of the darker green, about an inch. That's what I did. Chop leek into 1/4-inch slices. This YouTube video preps the leek another way. Either one works. I say it's good to know both ways for different applications. This is truly a throw together, sit-down-and-eat recipe once you know how to prep a leek... and butternut squash. I prepared the squash by cutting a slice off both ends, set it upright to remove the outer skin with a vegetable peeler (or a knife), then cut it into two parts where the chunky stem meets the bulb. (See photo.) This exposes the seeds so they can be easily scooped out. The solid chunk is perfectly suited for fries, but this entire squash is destined for soup. Here's a YouTube video that demonstrates an alternate way to prep a butternut squash.
I know. It's a rather odd color for squash soup. Remember? I used purple sweet potatoes. Whatever color veggies you choose to use, this soup is super simple. A few ingredients that add a good bit of flavor. The recipe comes from the blog, Cannelle et Vanille. German translation is cinnamon and vanilla according to Google Translator. Click on the my book link where you must play her video. It will make you smile.
Leek Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup (½ leek), diced… I used one whole leek.
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups butternut squash, diced (I used one whole butternut squash.)
2 potatoes (I used 2 sweet potatoes.)
3 cups chicken stock (I used 3 c water + 1 tbsp McKay’s Chicken Style Broth and Seasoning.)
1 tsp salt (I used Johnny’s No MSG Seasoning Salt.)
black pepper
In a medium pot, sauté the leeks in olive oil for about 2 minutes. Do not let them brown. Add the garlic, squash and potatoes and sauté them for another minute. (I sautéed the leeks until softened but not browned and added in the garlic near the end because it browns easily and you don’t want it browned. I didn’t sauté the squash and potatoes. I just tossed them into the pan.) Add the chicken stock (or water and McKay’s seasoning) and salt. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 20 minutes until veggies are tender. Purée the soup. Ladle into bowls. Optional: add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cracked black pepper.