I am a soup girl. I love that it’s hot, I love that you eat it with a spoon, I love that it’s easy to cook and I love it when it’s smooth and when it’s chunky. And if the fragrant aromas of coconut, ginger and pumpkin of this soup aren’t enough, the crispy sage and garlic chips on top seal the deal.
Coconut-ginger pumpkin soup with crispy fried sage & garlic chips
Serves 4
Soup
• 1 medium butternut squash, quartered and seeded
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 green apple, cored and chopped
• 1 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the toppings
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• Kosher salt
• 7 to 10 fresh sage leaves
• 1 sourdough baguette, sliced
• Red pepper flakes
Method
To make the soup, preheat the oven to 220°C. Rub the pumpkin all over with olive oil, then place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast until soft and easily pierced with a fork – about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Carefully peel the pumpkin (the skin should come off easily), discard the skin and transfer to a bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent – about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant – another minute.
Add the pumpkin, apple and ginger to the pot, then add the stock and coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium- low and cook until the apple is soft and the flavours have combined – 5-7 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth (see hot tip). Taste again, then season with salt and pepper to your liking. Keep warm over low heat.
To make the toppings, line a plate with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until lightly golden and crispy – about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving the oil in the pan. Season the garlic with salt.
Add the sage to the hot oil and cook until crispy – just a minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sage to the paper towels to drain, then season with salt. Pass the oil remaining in the skillet through a fine-mesh strainer into a small heatproof bowl.
Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Place in the oven about 15cm below the grill heat. Grill for a couple of minutes, flipping once, until golden and toasty.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a spoonful of the garlic- sage oil, some garlic chips, and some crispy fried sage. Serve with the toasted baguette.
Hot tip
Hot soup plus a full blender is a recipe for disaster. I prefer using an immersion blender, but if you don’t have one, let the soup cool a bit before transferring it to a standing blender, never filling it more than halfway and slightly opening the lid (away from you) to let steam escape as you blend on low speed.
French Onion Chicken Bake
Here, we are taking a classic French dish and, dare I say it, dumbing it down. Succulent chicken is nestled in a bed of caramelised onions, bathed in a rich and flavourful sauce and smothered in gooey grilled gruyère. It’s an easy one-pan bake. French onion soup may be timeless, but this recipe will take you way less time.
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• 4 x 200g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated gruyère cheese
• Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Method
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, onion powder, pepper and paprika. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the spice mix and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they are beginning to take on some colou – 5-7 minutes. Add the wine, season with salt, and reduce the heat to medium- low. Cook, stirring regularly, until brown and caramelised – about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a 22cm x 32cm baking dish with olive oil.
Add the garlic to the caramelised onions and cook until fragrant – about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is incorporated into the onions – about 30 seconds. Add the thyme, rosemary and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the onions to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken breasts and cook until a golden brown crust forms (they won’t be cooked through) – 2-3 minutes per side. Arrange the seared chicken breast in the prepared baking dish in a single layer. Top with the caramelised onions, spreading into an even layer.
Combine the stock and cream in a spouted measuring cup and pour the mixture over the chicken and onions. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.
Sprinkle the gruyère over the chicken. Switch the oven to grill and cook until the cheese is melted, bubbling and golden – about 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Firework Salmon
This is my take on the classic firecracker chicken because, personally, I prefer fireworks. Marinated to perfection with a dynamic mixture of soy sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, sriracha and more, the salmon is sparked up under the grill, creating both charred edges and tender flesh.
Serves 4
Ingredients
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 4 x 170g salmon fillets
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving
• Sliced spring onions
• Sesame seeds
• Lime wedges
Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, Dijon, sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, ginger, lime zest and lime juice.
Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Arrange them in a single layer in a shallow dish or large resealable plastic bag. Pour over half the marinade, ensuring each fillet is generously coated; reserve the remaining marinade. Cover the dish or seal the bag and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Position an oven rack about 15cm below the grill heat and preheat to your oven’s highest temperature. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and set a wire rack on top.
Arrange the salmon on the prepared baking sheet, brushing the fillets with a little of the reserved marinade. Grill for about 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly charred and the thickest part of the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the oven, transfer the fillets to a serving platter and set aside to rest.
Pour the remaining reserved marinade into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until reduced and thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
Drizzle the reduced marinade over the fillets and sprinkle with spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.
An edited extract from Scratch That, by Alix Traeger (Grand Central Publishing, $69.99)
