Fun Fall Recipe - Calabaza Soup

Fall has arrived here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and with that comes the return of several staples of the season: brisk winds, colorful leaves, sweaters and maybe the best of all…comfort foods!

This recipe was inspired by my next door neighbor who brought over a huge wedge from a pumpkin he harvested. (We both started organic vegetable gardens this past spring in our back yards and share our abundant crops regularly.) As I was looking at this humungous piece of fresh pumpkin, it hit me - as it usually does with Alina’s Cucina - What are some of the other comfort foods from around the world that involve pumpkins? My first thought was of Calabaza which is a member of the squash family and similar to pumpkin. It is also known as the West Indian Pumpkin and is very popular in the Caribbean, Central and South America.

So I created Calabaza Soup from the South American country of Chile! This hearty vegetable stew is not only Vegetarian but is Vegan, Gluten Free and Dairy Free! I made sure to keep it simple, not only for the sake of time, but it is a belief of mine that simple is better - especially when the ingredient is in season. The simplicity allows you to really “taste” the ingredient in all its glory, they way nature intended it to be! So good!

I know your whole family will love this new dish, especially your baby! As with all my recipes, just take some out at the end and blend it up for your baby.

If Calabaza cannot be found at your local market you can substitute Butternut or Acorn Squash with the same yummy results!

Calabaza Soup

Recipe by: Shane Valentine

Country: Chile

For Babies: 9 months and up

½ C Leeks, thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 TBSP Olive Oil
2 C Calabaza (Substitutes: Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash), diced – 1 inch cubes
1 C Carrots, diced – 1 inch cubes
1 C Red Potato, diced – 1 inch cubes
2 C Vegetable Stock, low sodium
2 C Water
½ tsp Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 TBSP fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
1 TBSP fresh Oregano, finely chopped

1. In a pot on medium heat, sauté leeks and garlic in olive oil until leeks are translucent (about 2-3 minutes).

2. Add Calabaza, carrots, red potatoes, vegetable stock, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low/medium low and cook for 30 minutes.

3. After 30 minutes, check to see if veggies are fork tender. If so, add cilantro and oregano and stir to incorporate.

4. Serve!

5. For baby, you can fork mash veggies or put into a blender to make smooth. You can leave the soup as-is for the rest of your family and for children that can chew well.

6. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 ½ Cups

(c) 2009 Shane Valentine