Do you own a pressure cooker? If not, you should! It's a true shortcut to many a delicious and healthy meal.

This recipe is from Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure, by Lorna Sass. Possibly a new addition at your Thanksgiving table? (I'm sure you can do this in a normal stovetop pot, just allow sufficient cooking time.)

If you want an alternative to the ginger/curry flavor, try rosemary instead, and add two bay leaves to the cooking process (remove before pureeing). Bonus for lazy cooks: you don't even need to peel the squash since pressure cooking softens the skin sufficiently!

CREAMY APPLE SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and light green parts) or coarsely chopped onions
4 cups boiling water (or broth)
3 pounds butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1 1/2” chunks
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered (normal apples work but tart balances the flavors!)
1/3 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats (this lends creaminess to the final product)
2 Tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tablespoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 to 2 Tablespoons snipped chives, fennel fronds, or thinly sliced scallion greens (optional)

Heat the oil in the cooker. Cook the leeks over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add the water (stand back to avoid sputtering oil), squash, apples, oats, ginger, curry powder, and salt.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to come down naturally or use a quick-release method. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess stem to escape. If the squash is not fork-tender, replace (but do not lock) the lid and let cook for a few more minutes in the residual heat.

Puree the soup in two or three batches in a blender (preferred) or food processor, or alternately an immersion stick blender, and return to the cooker to reheat before serving. Garnish with chives, if desired.