Take-out Tuesday, September Soup & Squash Croutons

the Painted Apron

8 years ago

A double treat’s in store today, a lightened up chowder made with roasted yellow squash and corn, topped with crispy bacon

AND Parmesan Squash Croutons!

Let’s make the croutons first so we can nibble on them while the soup simmers

All you need is some tempura batter mix, the old fashioned Parmesan cheese in the signature green bottle, or any finely grated Parmesan, and some oil for frying

Dip in batter, coat with Parm, and fry!

Sprinkle with kosher or sea salt

Try not to eat them all while you’re making the soup 😋

Roast squash slices on a parchment lined sheet until done, 20 minutes or so at 400

Give it a rough chop

While the squash is roasting, fry bacon until crispy and saute the onion and celery in bacon drippings until soft

Stir in flour making a thick roux, and then add 2 cups of the broth and the milk

Season and stir, stir, stir, until thickened

Add squash and corn, adding more broth if soup is too thick

Serve it topped with crispy bacon and basil

This soup is lighter than traditional chowder because it’s made with 2% milk and chicken broth instead of cream

It’s also light enough to enjoy now while we are dreaming of soup season but still have hot weather ☀️

September Roasted Squash & Corn Soup

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword corn and squash soup, easy soup, summer squash soup, vegetable soup, yellow squash

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

roasting time 20

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 yellow squash sliced
3 ears corn * cooked and cut from cob
1 sweet onion diced
1 cup chopped celery
2 T butter or 1 T butter and 1 T bacon fat
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1-2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper
3 cups chicken broth divided
1 cup 2% milk
4 oz fresh Parmesan grated or shaved
4 slices bacon
fresh basil for garnishing if desired

Instructions

Place squash on parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread out into an even layer.
Roast at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and give squash a rough chop.
Saute onion and celery in butter and/or bacon fat until softened.
Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add flour and stir, forming a thick paste or roux. Season well with salt and pepper.
Pour in broth and milk, whisk and stir until thickened.
Add vegetables, Italian seasoning, basil and cheese. Heat over medium low about 15 minutes to blend flavors and melt cheese.
Garnish with fresh basil and bacon to serve

Notes

*you can cook corn in husk in the microwave for 3-4 minutes per ear or roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350-400 degrees

Parmesan Squash Croutons

Perfect for nibbling, an appetizer or served with soup or salad

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword fried squash, squash croutons, tempura squash

Ingredients

1 box Tempura batter mix or part of a box
fresh yellow squash sliced into 1/2″ thick rounds
finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare batter according to package directions.* I only used part of the box since I was only making a few croutons. Place batter in a small bowl, and Parmesan in another small bowl.
Slice squash and dredge first in batter, then in Parmesan. Heat oil in deep sauce pan or fryer until it spits when a drop of water hits it. Drop slices into hot oil, 2-3 at a time and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm

Notes

* I usually reduce the liquid so the batter is thick. If you are using only part of the box, put dry mix in a bowl and add liquid until desired consistency. Add more dry or wet until you have enough batter for your size batch.