Velouté de Potiron à la Marocaine

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 5 liter soup pot
• •Immersion blender or vented countertop blender
• •Small skillet for toasting almonds

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron

   Put the saffron threads in 3 tablespoons warm water and leave them for 10 minutes while you cut the squash. The water should turn deep gold and smell floral. Use threads, not the powdered yellow, because the color alone is not the spice.

   Choose squash that feels heavy for its size and has firm flesh. If the cut face smells flat or watery, cook another dish today; the market always has an answer.
2. 2

   Soften the onions

   Warm the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt, and the smen or butter if using, then cook 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft, golden, and sweet-smelling. Add the garlic for the last minute so it perfumes the oil without burning.

3. 3

   Wake the spices

   Stir in the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and ras el hanout if using. Let them meet the fat for 30 seconds, just until the pot smells warm and nutty. Avec le ras el hanout, on ne triche pas, with ras el hanout, you don't cheat; use a pinch from someone who can tell you what is in the blend.

   Keep the heat moderate here. Burnt cumin turns bitter fast, and bitterness has nowhere to hide in a smooth soup.
4. 4

   Cook the squash

   Add the squash and potato and turn the pieces through the spiced onions until they are well coated and glossy at the edges. Pour in the bloomed saffron with its water, then add enough broth or water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash collapses under a spoon.

5. 5

   Blend it smooth

   Blend the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth, or use a countertop blender in batches, never filling it more than halfway and holding the lid with a towel. Return it to the pot and loosen with a little broth or water until it pours like thick cream. Stir in the preserved lemon rind and the milk or cream if using, then taste for salt.

   Add preserved lemon late. Its salt and perfume should brighten the pot, not cook away into the background.
6. 6

   Finish the bowls

   Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until they turn light gold and smell sweet, then take them off the heat at once. Ladle the velouté into a wide serving bowl, finish with almonds, coriander, a thread of argan oil or olive oil, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. Put khobz on the table and serve while the surface still shines.

Chef Tips

• •The scale is in the eyes, la balance est dans les yeux. Start with the measured spices, then taste after blending; pumpkin sweetness changes from market to market.
• •Use saffron threads and bloom them first. Powdered yellow gives color without the flower, and color alone never fed anyone well.
• •If you use ras el hanout here, use only a pinch. This is still pumpkin soup, not a spice cupboard, and a true merchant will tell you what is in the blend.
• •Preserved lemon means preserved lemon, not fresh lemon juice. Use only the rind, rinse it, mince it fine, and add it at the end.
• •The soup should be velvet from ripe squash, patient onions, and good blending. Cream is allowed, but it should soften the bowl, not cover the saffron.

Advance Preparation

• •Cut the squash and onions up to 1 day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator.
• •Make the soup up to 2 days ahead, stopping before the preserved lemon, cream, and garnish. Reheat gently, then finish it fresh.
• •Toast the almonds up to 3 days ahead and keep them in a closed jar once cool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 500g)