I modified Food Network’s Roast kabocha squash with lemongrass cream soup recipe on a whim to make this amazing squash side dish. The flavors are so rich and decadent with the yummy squash taste still coming through. It’s so good it’s addictive.
Ingredients:
- 1 large kabocha squash, green skin shaved off, seeds removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 T thyme leaves
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t pepper
- 6 T olive oil
- 1 c half-and-half
- 1 stalk lemon grass, thick end only, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 small Spanish onion, roughly chopped
- 1 small leek, white portion only, roughly chopped
- 2 c concentrated vegetable stock (2 Knorr bullion dissolved in 2 cups of water)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Put the squash pieces in a ziplock bag with the thyme, salt, pepper, and 4 T of the oil. Massage to coat well. Open the bag and place the coated squash pieces onto a roasting pan. Roast until caramelized and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan combine the half-and-half with the lemon grass and reduce by half. Strain, and set aside in a blender.
In a medium pot over high heat, add the remaining 2 T oil. Add the carrots, onion and leek and cook until browned. Add the concentrated veggie stock. Pour the sauce into the blender with the cream.
When the squash is done, set 3/4 of the squash pieces aside in the serving container.
Transfer the remaining 1/4 of the squash pieces into the blender with the veggie sauce and warmed cream. Blend until smooth.
Pour the cream sauce on top of the reserved squash pieces.