The Donkey's Soup

I used to ride a big 16.2-hand thoroughbred named Zeke, an unlikely name for an elegant ex-race horse. I'd bring him carrots and apples. As I met other beasts around the barn, I started bringing more treats.
Gathering ingredients for this soup, I thought about how we move toward our goals like a donkey going after a carrot on a stick. If our perseverance is rewarded, we get to eat the carrot soup. And then we want more. So I add squash and spice.
I ended up breaking my ankle at that barn. Nothing so grand as flying over a fence. No, I tripped over a sleeping dog while I was carrying two heavy buckets of feed.

THE DONKEY'S SOUP (Serves 4)
2 carrots chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 curvaceous butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped
1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)
3 cups vegetable broth
Pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, cardamom
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 cup toasted cashews
Combine butter, onion, celery and carrots in large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Add squash, apple and broth. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is soft. Purée. Add spices to taste. Note: Spices grated or freshly crushed will make your senses glow, but if your spice cupboard is lacking, a tablespoon or more of curry powder will suffice. Sprinkle cashews on top.

Thai Pumpkin and Coconut Custard Recipe

Here's a sweet or savory alternative to American holiday staples. Despite the Thailand derivation, this recipe reminds me of living in Hawaii, jalan-jalan in Indonesia, cooking coconut corn bread in an improvised oven in Jamaica.

Squash Match
©Beth Surdut’s Art From the Kitchen ~ painted and served

1 Japanese pumpkin (kambocha) or squash with low water content and large cavity or smaller squashes for individual servings
5 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar—depending on amount, this can be sweet or savory
Pinch salt
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Steamer large enough to place squash above the water, and enough water for 45 minutes

Cut a circle around the squash stem to make a lid. Set that aside and clean out seeds and pulp.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with a fork adding coconut milk, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and palm sugar.
Pour mixture into squash.
Place in a steamer with squash lid next to, not on, the squash.
Cover and steam for 45 minutes. Test custard with a fork. If runny residue, cook longer.
Remove squash from steamer and let cool. Place top on for presentation.
To serve, you may cut the entire squash like a pie or if you use smaller sugar pumpkins, serve individually or cut in half to serve two
Note—for delightfully silken custard, do not use “lite” or “light” coconut milk. Very granular sugar substitutes will also negatively affect the texture.

Art for the Mind and Body at www.bethsurdut.com