This is a Red Kuri or Potimarron squash. I grew it specifically to try the recipe for Beatrix’s Red Kuri Soup from Dorie Greenspan’s book “Around my French Table.” Okay, so I admit I am patient er crazy er committed enough to do such a thing- really anyone who knows me has already accepted er learned to live with that fact. :)  I found the seeds at Cherry Gal Heirloom Seeds and ordered a packet. I planted and watered and tended and waited. I ignored the fact that I also had planted a Patty Pan and it and the Potimarron cross pollinated to an interesting combination and I only got one mature and one immature “true” Potimarron squash by the time the season was over. But that’s another story and this post is about soup and bread…

The recipe is Dorie’s. I am not going to post it here but show you my journey. Get a copy of “Around My French Table” for the recipe. I highly recommend it. The recipe is on page 78 and 79. I will give you a recipe below for my own Cuban Bread that you can have baked homemade by the time the soup is ready.

SO, I grew the squash and some leeks in my garden and then harvested them.

I prepared the squash and cut it up with the leeks.

Cooked them with milk, water, nutmeg, salt and pepper…

And cooked them all together until the vegetables were soft, then pureed them with an immersion blender.

Dorie tops hers with apples and nuts. I used an Ambrosia apple and some bacon-mmm (everything’s better with bacon) because I wanted a little smoky, salty contrast against the sweet apples and squashy pumpkin-chestnut backdrop of the soup. It was delicious!

Add a side of freshly baked bread and you have a heavenly cold weather meal. Voila!

Cuban Bread (two loaves ready in an hour and a half)

• 4 cups “00” or bread flour
• 4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons sea salt
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 to 2 more cups “00” or bread flour

Mix the 4 cups of flour with the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Mix to combine then dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water and add to the flour and yeast whilst mixing slowly. Beat for 3 minutes until well combined. Add the remaining 1 to 2 cups flour whilst mixing until the dough is well mixed and elastic and just slightly tacky. Change to the dough hook and knead my machine for 6 minutes until smooth. Finish kneading for 2 minutes on a lightly floured work surface. Put in an oiled bowl and let raise in a warm place for 15 minutes until doubled. Divide into two round loaves. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut an “x” on the top of each with a razor or sharp knife. Place another pan of hot water on the floor of your oven and the sheet pan with the loaves on the rack above it in the cold oven. Set your oven to 400F and bake for about 50 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Place on a rack and cool completely for best flavour. Or just a bit for warm bread with soup.

Enjoy!