Lunch: Red Kuri Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Apple

Recipe by Rick Bayless Kuri squash has a unique, concentrated sweet flavor that's beautiful in soup," says Rick Bayless, chef at Frontera Grill in Chicago. (Butternut is a fine substitute.) He adds more layers of flavor with apple, cinnamon and raisiny a

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Cinnamon

Health and fertility benefits of Red Kuri Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Apple

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds Red Kuri or 11/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups), seeds reserved
1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 ancho chile—stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1 medium apple—peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Instructions

In a large soup pot, melt the butter. Add the squash seeds and onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden brown and the seeds are starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chile and toast until fragrant and pliable, about 1 minute. Add the squash, apple, cinnamon and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the squash is very tender, about 25 minutes.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, then serve, garnished with pumpkin seeds.

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