Have you ever eaten something amazing and asked, “what’s in this?!”  Cooking winter squash and root vegetables in a pressure cooker brings a whole new dimension to the taste of these vegetables.  They become caramelized,  rich and sumptuous; you’d think there was a ton of butter in it.  This soup is salt, oil and sugar free and you’d never know it. It can be thinned out with more coconut milk for a soup shooter, or a sauce, or left thicker to use as a puree.  It can even be frozen and served as a rich and “wow” dessert!

• 1 medium sized butternut squash,  peeled, seeded and diced (5 cups)
• 1 stalk Lemongrass, trimmed and sliced in thick discs  
• 2 TB water
• ⅜ tsp. baking soda
• Coconut Milk, as needed  (I used about ½ cup full fat)
  
  

Garnishes:

• 1 lime, zested
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  
  

1- Place the diced squash, sliced lemongrass, water and baking soda in the pressure cooker.  Stir well.  Lock the lid and pressure-cook the squash mixture at a gauge of 1 bar/15 psi for 20 minutes.  Start timing as soon as full pressure is reached.  

2- Depressurize the cooker quickly by running tepid water over the rim.

3- Puree the squash, using a stick blender, or scoop the mixture into a blender, blend until very smooth.  Return the mixture to the pressure cooker.

4- Over medium heat, finish making the soup.  Add ½ cup coconut milk, or more, considering the consistency you’d like; medium thickness for a soup, and thinner for a sauce.

To Serve:

Garnish with lime zest and unsweetened coconut flakes.