Thursday, February 24, 2011

Butternut Squash Soup

When I was home over Christmas, my mom had made butternut squash soup. In fact, it was what she fed me right when I got into town. Butternut squash soups I've had in the past have been flavorless. Maybe because they were store bought. But this soup was thick and creamy and perfectly spiced. To make it even more special, my mom chopped up a Granny Smith apple and added it to my bowl. 

I wanted to replicate her soup, so I asked her how she made it. I took her suggestions into account but I did my usual internet browsing and recipe combining before I decided exactly how to do this.

First things first, I added chicken stock. This took away some of the creaminess, but added flavor that I thought was essential. I also added milk and honey. Instead of chopping up a fresh apple, I sauteed it in butter and brown sugar, but not until it was soft, just enough to bring out the natural juices. The crunch of the apple is what made the soup special, and I didn't want to ruin that.

Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium sized butternut squash
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1 qt chicken stock
2 tbs honey
1 Granny smith apple, chopped
4 tbs butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Using a fork, poke several holes in the squash. Heat in microwave for 5 minutes. This will take away the intimidating task of trying to cut through the squash.
2. Chop squash into cubes. Place on cookie sheet topped with a few pads of butter, and roast until squash is soft - about 20 minutes.
3. While squash is roasting, chop the onion and garlic and sauté in olive oil until tender. 
4. Remove squash from oven and combine with onions and garlic.
5. Place squash, onions, and garlic into food processor or blender and puree.
6. Pour mixture back into a sauce pot on the stove. While cooking over medium heat, add spices, half of the brown sugar, and all other ingredients (except apple). Let come to a boil. Reduce hit to simmer.
7. While simmering, chop the apple and saute in butter and brown sugar for about 5 minutes.
8. Ladel soup into bowls, top with apples, and serve immediately. 

I'm tellin' ya...pumpkin pie in a bowl. 

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