as i head to memphis for the 2018 saveur blog awards ceremony (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), i wonder what season it will be there.
when i left virginia last week, it was not quite fall there. as i leave the twin cities this week it is almost winter here. maybe that was a bit of a papa bear and a mama bear, and memphis will be Just Right. or will that be when i return to virginia to sleep in my own bed. but then, is it my own bed, or is my bed in a storage facility in minneapolis? a line from a poem by shinji moon goes like:

you will fall in love with train rides, and sooner or later you will realize that nowhere seems like home anymore

i am getting sick of airplane rides, and often get confused these days when someone asks me the question “where do you live?”/”where are you from?”. i think probably home is where my dog is. but also where the people i love are. there are people i love in virginia. there are people i love in minnesota. i saw some paintings that made me feel at home in the minneapolis institute of art. but i feel that way too when i look at the blue ridge mountains while eating breakfast every morning. or is home where i know a home cooked meal will always be waiting for me? or is it where i can go out and find almost any kind of food i could possibly want to eat?

on this, what just might be my second-to-last minnesota trip in quite some time, i finally made it to hmongtown marketplace and it was more or less life-changing. there is really very good indian food served at a gas station in luray. i didn’t know until recently that a lot of people don’t like the word “fusion” when used in the context on food. i guess that makes sense because this recipe fuses autumn food with japanese food, and yet they have autumn in japan too.

all this to say that this soup really is the best of both a warm bowl of squash and apple soup on a chilly fall evening, and a delicious bowl of slurpy, smoky, slightly spicy udon. whether home for you is a place or a person or a vegetable, or a mineral, you’ll feel a little bit at home while eating this soup. i really hope you do enjoy.

-kara

p.s. the art in this post is heavily inspired by the wonderful art of mohamed chahin. please check him out!!

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autumn udon (butternut squash soy sauce broth with udon noodles and sesame-sauteed apples and kale)

serves 4

ingredients

for the broth:

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 scallion, white and light green part chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce, divided (gluten free if needed)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 5 cups (or more) water
  • 3 bags rooibos tea
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

for the sesame-sauteed apples and kale:

  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/2 bunch kale, removed from stems and town into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar

for serving:

  • 4 servings dried udon noodles (or gluten-free soba noodles if needed), cooked according to package
  • 2 scallions, green parts sliced
  • chili oil (optional)

instructions

to make the broth:

  1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. in a large bowl, mix together the squash, olive oil, scallion, garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. spread evenly on a greased baking sheet, and roast until the squash is very tender and brown, about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. set aside.
  2. in a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. add in the shallot and cook just until it is translucent. add the squash and stir. pour in the 5 cups of water, increase the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
  3. remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. drop in the tea bags and let simmer for 5 minutes before removing them. add in the red pepper flake and the soy sauce, then blend using a hand blender or food processor until completely smooth. pour in the cream and a little salt and pepper to taste. if you want the broth to be thinner, you can add more water but then you may need to adjust the seasonings, especially the soy sauce.

to make the apples and kale:

  1. heat the sesame oil over medium heat. add in the sesame seeds and fry until just beginning to brown and smell delicious. add the apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has begun to soften, then add the kale, stir well, and cook until the kale has just wilted. remove from heat and stir in the rice vinegar.

to serve:

  1. divide the noodles among 4 bowls, then pour in a ladle-full of broth. top with a big spoonful of the kale and apple mixture, sprinkle on some of the scallions, and finish with a drizzle of chili oil if you like. enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!