Sublime, creamy soup that’s good for you
I love this time of year for all the yummy fall vegetables. Butternut squash is a favorite — as is this soup. I often serve it in individual “soup shooter” glasses as a Thanksgiving appetizer, or as a first course.
There are a few secrets to its deliciousness. First, the ingredients include both an apple and apple cider, which complement the squash. I also add mace, the lacy veil that surrounds nutmeg, which adds a nice hint of spice without being overpowering. If you can’t find mace at your grocery store, you can substitute nutmeg.
Every time my friends taste this soup, they think there is cream in it — but there’s no cream at all. The creaminess results from aerating the soup in a blender for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, then passing it through a sieve.
Try this recipe at your next gathering or holiday feast.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Cider Soup Serves 10 INGREDIENTS
1 medium butternut squash or sugar pumpkin 4 tablespoons butter, divided use
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
8 cups fresh chicken or vegetable stock, divided use
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and finely chopped 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground mace 1½ tablespoons kosher salt or to taste ½ teaspoon pepper Fresh rosemary sprigs to garnish
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place in roasting pan, flesh side up. Divide 3 tablespoons of butter and the brown sugar between the cavities. Sprinkle with rosemary. Pour 2 cups stock around the squash and cover the pan with foil. Roast in oven, stirring once or twice, until squash is soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Saute the vegetables: In a large stockpot, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add onions, carrots, garlic and apple and saute until soft, about 7 minutes. Remove squash from oven, cool slightly, then scoop flesh out of skins and add to stockpot.
In a second stockpot, combine the stock, cider, ginger, mace, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then add the mixture to the stockpot. Let cool slightly.
In a blender and working in batches — fill the blender no more than half full — puree the soup on high speed until very smooth and light, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. (Hold the lid on with a towel to prevent splashing yourself with hot soup.) Strain soup through a fine strainer into the second stockpot and warm it over medium heat. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve soup in bowls with a little rosemary to garnish.
Bibby Gignilliat is the founder of Parties That Cook, a San Franciscobased culinary event company; www. PartiesThatCook.com.