PILGRIMS LAND ON PLYMOUTH ROCK

MY LITTLE PILGRIM GIRL IS HERE TO BRING YOU MY RECIPE FOR THE FIRST COURSE OF THANKS G @ OUR HOUSE.  THIS RECIPE IS AN OLD FAVORITE OF OURS FIRST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK ON THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD IN1974! IT WAS PUBLISHED IN A MAGAZINE CALLED SPHERE.  THANK YOU PUBLISHERS OF SPHERE.

MY LITTLE PILGRIM GIRL THANKS TO ANN DENISE  ANDERSEN'S CLASS AT THIS YEARS
WICKED TEA/PAPER COW GIRL OCTOBER EVENT

ALL DOLLED UP WITH COPPER "HAIRPIN AND GREEN WOOLY LOCKS

 
CAULIFLOWER  SOUP SERVED IN ACORN SQUASH "BOWLS"
 SERVES 12

1/4C  BUTTER OR MARGARINE
3/4C  ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 1/2 QUARTS (6 C) CHICKEN BROTH (SOUP/STOCK)
1 MEDIUM HEAD CAULIFLOWER, SEPARATED INTO "FLOWERETS"
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
1 BAY LEAF
1 t  FRESHLY GROUND  NUTMEG
6 ACORN SQUASH

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES

1) REMOVE STEMS FROM SQUASH.  CUT A SMALL SLICE OFF TOPS AND BOTTOMS OF SQUASH TO FORM A FLAT SURFAC OF "YOUR SOUP BOWLS". CUT SQUASH IN HALF CROSSWISE.  USE A SPOON TO REMOVE SEEDS AND FIBERS.  PLACE SQUASH  HALVES IN A BAKING PAN.  OPEN OVEN DOOR AND SLIDE RACK FORWARD 1/2 WAY.  PLACE BAKING PAN WITH SQUASH ON RACK.   CAREFULLY USEING A PITCHER, POUR HOT WATER INTO BOTTOM OF PAN 1/4" INCH DEEP.  COVER BAKING PAN WITH ALUMINUM FOIL.  BAKE UNTIL SQUASH ARE TENDER, ABOUT 45 MINUTES.  ( SQUAH CAN BE COOKED A DAY AHEAD AND REHEAT BEFORE SERVING)

2)   WHILE THE SQUASH ARE BAKING.  MELT BUTTER IN A 5 QUART DUTCH OVEN OVER MEDIUM HEAT.  SPRINKLE IN THE FLOUR, STIRRING UNTIL THE MIXTURE STARTS TO BUBBLE ON THE SIDES LOWER AND COOK ANOTHER MINUTE, SO THAT THE FLOUR IS COMPLETELY COOKED.    S L O W L Y, SLOWLY STIR IN THE CHICKEN BROTH, WHILE CONTINUING TO STIR/WISK THE FLOUR MIXTURE.  (THIS WILL INSURE YOU HAVE A SMOOTH CREAMY, LUMP FREE SOUP.  ( YOU ADD THE BROTH TOO QUICKLY AND HAVE LUMPS USE A STRAINER TO STRAIN MIXTURE INTO A CLEAN SOUP POT AND USE A WOODEN SPOON TO DISSOLVE LUMPS)

3) ADD CAULIFLOWER (RESERVING 1 CUP FOR GARNISH IF DESIRED), CHOPPED ONIONS, BAY LEAF AND NUTMEG INTO SOUP BROTH.  HEAT TO  A BOIL ( BUBBLIES AROUND THE EDGES OF THE POT); REDUCE HEAT AND COVER.  SIMMER UNTIL CAULIFLOWER IS TENDER, 20 - 25 MINUTES.  REMOVE BAY LEAF.  IN BATCHES, WITH A LADLE POUR SOUP INTO A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR.   PUREE UNTIL SMOOTH. ADD TO A CLEAN STOCK POT AND REPEAT UNTIL ALL THE SOUP HAS BEEN PUREED. ( THIS CAN BE DONE A DAY AHEAD AND THEN PROCEED WITH
STEP #4)

4) RETURN PUREED SOUP TO STOVE TOP.  STIR IN RESERVED 1 CUP CAULIFLOWER, COVER AND COOK ON LOW HEAT, UNTIL CAULIFLOWER IS JUST TENDER, ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

5) TO SERVE; PLACE A WARM SQUASH HALF IN A SOUP BOWL.  POUR A LADLE FULL OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP INTO THE SQAUSH BOWLS (HALVES) GARNISH WITH A SPRINKLE OF ADDITIONAL NUTMEG IF DESIRED AND SERVE.

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THIS RECIPE!  MORE TO FOLLOW.  OF COURSE YOU DON'T NEED THANKS G TO MAKE THIS FABULOUS SOUP