Acorn squash soup with chestnuts and coconut milk

Ingredients

Baking the Squash

• 
  
  2 Small golden Acorn Squash
  

Soup

• 
  
  Half onion diced small
  
• 
  
  2 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 
  
  2 cloves of garlic minced
  
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger
  
• 
  
  1 bay leaf
  
• 
  
  3.5 oz of already cooked and peeled chestnuts (found in Asian stores)
  
• 
  
  1 can of coconut milk
  
• 
  
  Salt and pepper
  
• 
  
  1-1.5 cups of chicken stock
  
• 
  
  Baked Acorn flesh
  
• 
  
  1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
  
• 
  
  2 tablespoons of chopped roasted and salted almonds (for garnish)
  

Directions

Baking the Squash

1. Warm the oven to 400 degrees

2. Cut the squash to quarters and clean the seed part

3. place in greased baking sheet flesh side down

4. Bake for 45 min to an hour, until very soft

5. pull out the pumpkin flesh with a spoon

Soup

1. Heat the olive oil in a pot

2. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 min on medium heat

3. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 sec

4. Add the bay leaf and the chestnuts an mix

5. Add the coconut milk and cup of a chicken stock and salt and pepper.

6. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and cook for 20 min

7. Add the squash flesh and cook for another 10 min or so

8. Add the cilantro and fish out the bay leaf

9. Puree the soup by using a stick blender or food processor
   If too thick add a bit more chicken stock. Warm for few more minutes

10. Pour to bowls and garnish with chopped almonds