00:00This Cabocha soup looks fancy but it's weeknight easy.
00:03Battery onions, nutmeg, and a white miso give it the kind restaurant quality depth at home.
00:10Watch the blender turn glossy, then crown it with crunchy croutons and roasted peel.
00:16For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website,
00:19just google Cabocha soup statue to find me.
00:22Before we start, cube 100g of baguette for croutons and set aside.
00:27Soften or melt one tablespoon of batter so it coats the bread evenly later.
00:33And thinly slice half an onion.
00:35If you want extra omami, drop a piece of kombu into 300ml of water but it's totally optional.
00:43Now, scoop out the seeds and pulp from the Cabocha squash.
00:47It should be about 450g after the deseeding.
00:55Lay it safely on a stable cutting board and shave off the tough green skin in downward strokes.
01:03The thinner, the better.
01:07Add those clean skins to the crouton bowl. We will use them later.
01:13Once peeled, chop the flesh into large irregular chunks.
01:16Let's talk ingredients for a moment. We're using Cabocha squash.
01:20A naturally sweet, nutty winter squash.
01:23You might find it at well stocked Asian groceries or for farmers markets.
01:28Confined Cabocha, buttercup squash is your best bet.
01:32And butter nut squash works well too.
01:34Just simmer it a little longer to concentrate the flavour.
01:39Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
01:41Toast the 100g of baguette cubes and clean Cabocha peels we saved earlier with 1 tbsp of olive oil.
01:501 tsp of dry mixed herbs.
01:538 tsp of salt.
01:55And that 1 tbsp of melted butter.
01:58Let me tell you why these croutons and skin chips matter.
02:01This type of silky soup can taste repetitive after a few spoonfuls.
02:06Velvety, yes, but predictable.
02:09The fix, textual contrast and aromatic punches.
02:13Crispy croutons wake up your palate between silky sips.
02:17While those roasted Cabocha skins add an earthy, almost savoury umami
02:21note that circles back to the soup's main ingredient.
02:25Spread on an upper rack in a single layer.
02:29And bake 10 minutes until golden and crisp.
02:33While we wait for the oven, sit a heavy pot over medium-low heat.
02:37And melt 20g of unsalted butter.
02:40Add the sliced onion with 1 1⁄4 tsp of salt.
02:43And cook gently until translucent and sweet.
02:46Stop just before golden.
02:55Stir in the Cabocha chunks with another 1 1⁄4 tsp of salt.
02:59Toss 1-2 minutes to coat in butter and start softening the edges.
03:05When the edges begin to break, add 300ml of water or use konbu dashi.
03:13Cover and simmer on low 10-15 minutes until a spoon crushes the Cabocha easily.
03:20Keep the bubbling lazy to preserve colour and a fresh sweet aroma.
03:25Take the pot off the heat and blend with a blender or emerging blender.
03:29Start in low and move into high.
03:39When smooth, add 10g of cold unsalted butter and blend 20-30 seconds more to micro-emulsify for
03:48gloss and body.
03:49If you want the kind of texture that makes guests ask,
03:52did you really make this at home?
03:54Pour your blended soup through a fine mesh strainer or shinoa into a clean pot.
04:00Use the back of a ladle or spoon to press the puree through,
04:04leaving behind any lingering fibres or skin fragments.
04:09Turn the pot to low heat and stir in 150ml of heavy cream and 150ml of whole milk.
04:17If you prefer, you can substitute 300ml of half and half instead of using them separately.
04:25Add a final quarter teaspoon of salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
04:30Then let it barely simmer, 3-5 minutes, stirring now and then so a skin doesn't form.
04:36Once dairy enters, high heat is the enemy.
04:39Boiling can curdle milk proteins and make the cream split into greasy puddles, so keep it gentle.
04:46Turn off the heat and whisk in half teaspoon of white miso.
04:50Make sure to taste test at this point.
04:53Every kabocha varies in sweetness, so grab a spoon and taste.
04:57If the spoon feels flat or one-dimensional, add salt one pinch at a time.
05:04When overboard, rescue it by whisking in milk a tablespoon at a time until balanced.
05:11Keep adjusting until the kabocha's natural sweetness suddenly pops on your tongue.
05:17Add a little bit of pepper.
05:18Ladle into warmed bowls.
05:20A little white pepper.
05:22Scatter the kabocha skin croutons.
05:25And sprinkle parsley to finish.
05:27And that's our kabocha soup.
05:29Silky, gently sweet and quietly luxurious with those herby kabocha skin croutons.
05:36One spoonful and it tastes like a calm full evening.
05:40Want even more delicious recipes?
05:43Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
05:47Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time.
05:50And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box
05:54with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen.
05:57Want to learn every detail behind this recipe?
05:59You can find the full version and step-by-step tips on my website.
06:03Just tap the link on the screen.
06:05And for more recipes like this, head to my soup playlist coming up on your screen.
06:09Thanks for watching.
