The Soup Pot

In Bahrain I have had an issue with getting into a meat groove. The meat at the exchange is expensive, stupidly expensive. The produce is worse. So I found myself going to the locals for my produce. Thai ingredients such as kafir lime leaves and lemongrass are readily available. So my Thom Ka Gai is pretty passable. Leeks are also plentiful, so I make cream of potato leek soup as well. I have also found the the most crucial piece of cookware thus far has been my enamel over cast iron dutch oven. Stewing cheaper cuts of meat for goulash or chicken with wine and olives, or chicken noodle soup. You can buy butternut squash or the ugly local pumpkins (local meaning Saudi or Egypt) dirt cheap for the amt of food you get out of them. I can get chicken stock but for some reason no beef stock (only boullion). So I use the squash to make a pretty healthy and hearty soup. 3 small or 2 large butternut squash-peel,dice, and scoop out the guts box of chicken stock salt and pepper 3 bell peppers red/yellow/orange half and half simmer the diced squash in the stock with salt and pepper while you work on the peppers. Put the oven on high broil. Keep the peppers whole and rinse them. Put them under the broiler.Let them scorch black and bubbling, turning them periodically. Once they are evenly blackened take them out. You can do this on a grill too. Put them in a ziploc bag, seal it, and set them aside. When the squash is tender, get a blender or your cuisinart. Remove the chunks and puree them reserving the broth. Add a little liquid if you need to for better blending. Put the puree back in the pot and keep simmering stiring it into the broth for a smooth blend. Take the peppers out of the bag.You have sweated them, so rinse them under cold water and the skin should peel right off. Take off the stem, veins and seeds and disgard. Take the fleshy peppers and puree them as well. Stir it into the soup. continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. At the end add some half and half, whole milk, or cream (or nothing if you are watching calories). This soup freezes well FYI. It is a great way to get veg in the rugrats, and goes really well with grilled cheese.