Men’s Interests

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, cored, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds winter squash, such as West Indian pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cups stock or water
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup grated Manchego cheese

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno and salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the squash and stock and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is falling apart and soup is thickened slightly. Puree soup with an immersion blender, or use a blender and return soup to a clean pan. Add the milk and heat gently. Stir in the cheese and adjust the seasonings.

MANCHEGO CHEESE

Manchego is the best known and most widely available Spanish cheese. It comes from La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote, and was originally made only from the milk of Manchego sheep. Manchego is aged for 3 months or longer, and is a semi-firm cheese with a rich golden color. It comes in a 10 inch diameter wheel, 5 inches thick with a herringbone design on the rind. It ranges from mild to sharp, depending on how long it is aged.

When I make this I’ll leave out the jalapeno chiles, and I’ll use cheddar cheese. Oh, and coarse salt? No…I’ll use table salt.

1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup tomato paste
Sugar to taste, if needed
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Halve tomatoes lengthwise and lay them cut sides down in a jelly-roll pan. Brush generously with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper. Roast tomatoes until their edges are charred, about 15 to 20. Scrape tomatoes, oil, and herbs from pan into food processor. Process until not quite smooth (leaving small chunks and charred black specks).

In a saucepan cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons oil until translucent. Whisk in roasted tomato puree, broth, and wine. Then whisk tomato paste. Heat the cream and whisk in to the tomato mixture. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Stir in optional Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring soup to a simmer.

Don’t have a food processor? Try a blender.

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