I generally dislike negativism, although admittedly I am not a very optimistic person. I try to hide it well, though, and keep my assessment of everything that will might go wrong to myself. HOWEVER, the weather lately has pushed me to a dangerous edge, so I shall pout, whine, complain and be generally unpleasant to fellow human beings. We have rain, then thunderstorms, then more rain. When there’s no rain, we have cloudy skies. The temperature rarely reaches 75 F, but when that happens I am expected to be cheerful, walk around smiling. Not happening. Given the bizarre meteorological situation I’m stuck with, I am blogging on soup. Soup. Hot and soothing. In May. I know, pitiful.
YELLOW SQUASH SOUP WITH TARRAGON AND LEMON
(slightly modified from Fer’s site Chucrute com Salsicha)
2 large yellow squash, cut in chunks
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup heavy cream
dash of nutmeg
fresh chives for decoration
Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan, add the shallots and saute until translucent. Add the pieces of squash and cook for 7 to 10 minutes in medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the tarragon, chicken stock, and lemon juice. Mix well, cover the pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, add the heavy cream and nutmeg, transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, you can reserve some of the pieces of squash to add later, for texture.
Serve right away with chives (or fresh tarragon) on top.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: For those who don’t know, Fer is a Brazilian food blogger who’s been living in the US probably as long or even longer than me. She was also my number one inspiration to start the Bewitching Kitchen, so it feels special to blog about a recipe from her site… Fer shared a post about this soup not too long ago, but my intention was to make it in the fall, when the weather would be more appropriate for it. However, the universe conspired against me. We are at the end of the month of May. I’ve been unable to wear shorts or flip-flops. End of May. I had to bring a jacket from storage on more than one occasion. I wore boots three times this month. So there you have it, Yellow Squash Soup for lunch. At least I can testify that it’s delicious! This soup will be a regular appearance at our kitchen, and in my next time – when October comes – I intend to use coconut milk instead of heavy cream, just because I think it will be awesome that way too. If you are faced with adverse meteorological conditions, make this soup, it is bright yellow like the sun that should be shinning outside.
Note added after publication…. because I have great friends, I share with you a better cartoon sent to me by the one and only Gary… yeap, that summarizes it all much better
ONE YEAR AGO: Grilled Chicken with Tamarind and Coconut Glaze
TWO YEARS AGO: Chicken-Apricot Skewers
THREE YEARS AGO: Asparagus Quiche
FOUR YEARS AGO: Two-stage Pea and Prosciutto Risotto
FIVE YEARS AGO: Mellow Bakers: Corn Bread
Bewitching Kitchen 
You crack me up. Go on darling woman, complain all you like about the weather! The big problem of course is that when it rains, you can’t go outside and run up a mountain. We all know that’s what’s really driving you crazy.. 😉
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Actually you are not too far from reality, although what is really preventing me from running is an injury, a bad piriformis pull followed by a hamstring pull a week down the line. Yeah, I’ve had better days as far as running goes…. and my mood is not improved by it 😉
Handsome Stud = A Saint
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Now stop being grumpy: four beautiful fine days next week and tho’ thunder threatens again after that you’ll be steadily in your late 80s and low 90s in a few days unless you know better than your Bureau of Meteorology 🙂 ! Not that that would stop me serving that lovely pumpkin soup . . . I certainly have such right in the middle of the Australian summer also! Love the inclusion of tarragon as well as the usual nutmeg 🙂
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High today, 69 F. Windy and cloudy. It is Saturday, the day I would be able to lay in the sun. What sun, I ask you? What sun? (please refer to cartoon on body of text).
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*huge smile* Well your Bureau promised all ‘my above’ from about Monday onwards!! Oh, love the cartoon , , , that made me go to Mr Google!!! [Don’t worry, the weather Gods love bringing on the yucky bits for the weekend here also!!]
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I make squash soups all the time, and can tell you it’s delicious using coconut milk rather than cream if you do decide to try it that way. Throwing a bruised stalk of lemon grass and/or some galangal in with it also is quite nice, if you want a SE Asian lilt. In fact, one reason I make soup from squash so often is that it seems to come out well no matter what you accent it with.
One tip I’ve found useful, learned from an issue of Cooks Illustrated a few years ago: simmer the seeds and fibers you’ve scooped out of the cavity in butter for a while until the seeds toast, then strain off. Use that butter to saute any miropoix or sofrito you’re building the soup on, for an extra squash kick. (You can salt the seeds afterwards and either enjoy them furtively while your cooking without having to share them with the vultures who are always looking for handouts, or use them as garnish on the finished soup. Your call, Scrooge.) Oh, and I’ve found that since the seeds have some pretty impressive absorptive powers, you need to compensate by simmering them in at least 1.5x the amount of butter you think you’ll need.
Ok, off to enjoy the beautiful sunny day we’ve been graced with – again – in the commonly maligned state of New Jersey. Sucker.
😉
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Love this tips with the seeds… definitely intend to try it, keep those gems coming…
as to your sunny weather: POUT
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It’s been getting colder here – jeans or long pants every day AND shoes. It was 75F here today. 🙂 Going to be 78 tomorrow. It’s much cooler at night though so that’s when I’m going to make this amazing soup!
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Your winter is definitely milder than mine. In my next life I will be born in Australia and be a professional surfer. Big waves, no fear!
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I am right there with you Sally. After moving here from San Diego, where the smell of wet asphalt made me happy because I knew it was raining, I have enjoyed the rain here is MO. However, the amount of rain we have received lately has me in the same mood. I think we are sharing the same weather pattern. I want to go out and watch my new chickens, and can’t even do that without having to wade through inches of mud.
I always feel guilty complaining about rain after living in a semi-desert state for so long, but this has gone on long enough.
I have been making soups too, and this one will be next on my list. Thank you!
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Ok, we can sit down together and whine – I like that very much! 😉
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I never thought of you as a pessimist or a grumpy Sally. You’re always smiling in the pictures (and btw you have a gorgeous smile too!)
Loving this squash soup, super creamy and delish!
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oh, flattery flattery… I am now forced to smile even looking at the pathetic sky outside and shivering a little. 😉
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Fabulous cartoon! Love it. I’m with you on the weather. We’ve had about one decent day a week and then it rains or is cloudy. And it seems as though the good day of the week falls when I’m at work and can’t really be out enjoying it. I’m hoping it turns to summer permanently soon! Your soup sounds like heaven to me. I love lemon and I love tarragon and paired with squash, it all sounds so delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I don’t know that I’ll wait until fall either!
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Exactly! The only day that was sunny I barely had time for a quick lunch, the lab was keeping me busy from 7:30am until dinner time. Do you think that is fair? Do you think I appreciate that? (refer to cartoon on body of text).
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Aww, sorry to hear you’re feeling down. It’s amazing how much the weather can impact our mood — I thrive on light too. The climate remains my favorite thing about this part of the world (though i’m hoping my repertoire of reasons to be here might expand over time 😉 ). I would always welcome a good soup Sally, any time of year and that caricature of you is just gorgeous!
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The caricature was made at the wedding of stepson in Sedona by an artist they hired – she was soooo talented! Made cartoons of all of us, as the ceremony involved just parents and siblings.
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Sally, sinto muito que o tempo não tá colaborando ai. Nós já estamos em full speed em direção ao verão. e isso me deixa feliz e irritada ao mesmo tempo. muito obrigada pelas palavras tao gentis. eu adorei que voce adorou essa sopa! e sua foto ficou linda! um beijo :-*
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Que bom ter sua visita! Pois e’, PHil adorou a sopa tambem…. Vou provavelmente repetir muito antes do outono…
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Beautiful soup! Soup doesnt have to be cold to be served in the summer months, in my book. Love your cartoon! I love rain because I don’t have to garden and I can sit inside, catch up on shows and knit!!!
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I don’t mind the eventual rain, but at some point I do need some sun and blue skies, it gets to me!
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You don’t come across as negative at all!! I think you’re talking about someone else…:)
Our weather has been all over the place too – salads one day, soup the next. A lovely recipe for those colder days xx
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Well, let’s say I hide it well… ask Phil, though, he gets the full “benefit” of my whining… 😉
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I’m with you! This weather is seriously getting to me. Finally, we have some days of no rain in our extended forecast. I need this soup. I can tell the color will cheer me up, and the summer squash is so good right now!
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I think you are getting it a lot worse than us… hopefully this pattern is done now.
wishing you the brightest sunshine ahead!
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Awww I would be going stir crazy also. You can come visit me, though! We are having sweltering weather here…though I think the humidity will make you want to go back home almost immediately!
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Guess what? My youngest niece just landed in NY this morning, with her hubby and three young kids – she is a brave, brave woman to face such trip with a very young boy plus two super energetic older siblings – her husband has some meetings to attend as a lawyer and she is tagging along… Wish I could take a break to go see them all… and visit you too!
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I hate negativity but battle constantly with my own inner complainer. It is getting easier. I hear you about the weather. We had tornadoes touch down in my town last night and more rain and thunder storms today. I have not used yellow summer squash in soup so this is a great recipe to try. Cheers, the weather will get better….I hope.
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