In fall I begin to think about the beautiful harvest of squashes. As much as I love acorn squash, spaghetti squash, Hubbard squash, turban squash and pie pumpkins, my favorite is butternut squash. For Thanksgiving we always start our meal with a bowl of roasted butternut squash soup. Here’s the recipe– I hope you enjoy it.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH APPLES & BLUE CHEESE
.5 pounds of bacon, diced
1 large butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and diced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and seeded
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 white onion, diced.
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
.5 cups shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of nutmeg
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup heavy cream
Half cup gorgonzola cheese
1.) Render the bacon, take off the heat and reserve the diced bacon for a soup garnish. Use the bacon fat to sauté the carrots, onions and shallots. Build your soup from here.
2.) Toss the diced sweet potatoes and butternut squash in olive oil with salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until tender.
3.) In a large soup pot, render the carrots, onions, and celery.
4.) Add the garlic and shallots. Sauté and stir.
5.) Add the roasted vegetables and the apples. Combine.
6.) Add the vegetable stock and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
7.) Turn off the heat, purée the contents. I like an immersion blender for this. If you have been following me, you know I like my soups nice and smooth. So, at this point strain the pureed mixture into another pot.
8.) Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the cream and the nutmeg. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
9.) Whip in the blue cheese. Turn off the heat.
10.) Do a taste test. This soup can go in many directions from here depending on what you’re looking for. This might need more blue cheese (usually). It could need more seasoning. The flavor profile is totally up to you.
11.) Garnish the soup with the bacon, crumbled blue cheese, croutons. Serve. Enjoy.
Chef’s Notes: This soup may require some roux to thicken if you like.
Two flavor enhancing items I always add to my soups are hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. I’m not really sure how I came up with these items, but I don’t make a soup without them!!! That tip is free.
Welcome back to Grandezza, my friends!
Compliments of Chef John and Michelle De Joy, Owners of John Palmer’s Bistro 44, in Concord, Ohio, and currently Saraceno residents.
