Recipe - Kombucha Green Pepper Soup

1 3pound Kombucha squash (or
similar winter squash)
1 Rutabaga
1 Green bell pepper or
2 Anaheim peppers for moderate
heat
2 cup Thick bean stock; such as
pinto
Three fourths teaspoon Salt
1 pn Cinnamon

OPTIONAL
2 cup Vegetable stock (freshly
made; or settle for water)
Salt; crushed pepper, fresh
lemon juice; thyme

OR FOR A BISQUE
Grain milk; soymilk, or
dairy skim milk
Crushed nutmeg

Date: Sat, 20 Apr 1996 17:29:02 CDT

From: "Lu Bozinovich " U33754@UICVM.CC.UIC.EDU
It turns out that squash is still being sold in the States this spring, so
I came up with this soup. The flavor is a bit subtle, but it seems pretty
appetizing. It can probably be developed further with the use of fresh
herbs like thyme (which I tried), marjoram, lemon zest, or the mock whipped
cream from rye that I just posted.

I tried miso in it and it was a definite no no; ruined the fresh taste. I
then dismissed the thought of adding a drop of liquid smoke (but it might
work).

Set oven to 450 F and bake whole kombucha squash, rutabaga and green
pepper, using a ceramic container for the pepper, 3545 minutes. Remove
pepper and cover its container with heavy plate to steam off the peel.

Peel rutabaga and cut into chunks. Cut squash in half, scrape out seeds
then scrape out flesh in chunks. Discard peels. If flesh of squash and
rutabaga are still tough, place back in oven in covered casserole with a
little of the stock, for 15 minutes.

In a food processor, combine kombucha squash, rutabaga, and peeled pepper
flesh (hint: use strainer to capture the inner juices of the pepper as you
are seeding it, and discard the seeds). The cooking bowl of the pepper can
be deglazed with a little of the bean stock, stirring it briskly, to
capture the smokey charred flavor of the roasted pepper. Process well, with
bean stock, salt and cinnamon. Result is a thick subtly earthy flavored
puree.

For soup, pour puree into a large skillet and gradually add vegetable stock
until thickness is suitable to your tastes, and heat. Season with extra
salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Note that fresh ingredients are vital to the
taste of this soup, so forget using fermented flavors or canned or dried
stocks.

For bisque, blend in some grain milk or dairy skim milk and heat gently.
Top with a little crushed nutmeg.

Lu Kombucha Green Pepper Soup is copyright 1996, Lu Bozinovich

FATFREE DIGEST V96 #110

From the Fatfree Vegetarian recipe list. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe
Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.