Another Perfect Fall Soup

Here's another soup recipe for your weekend.  This one was found for another "wired shut" mouth and sent to me by a dear friend back in North Carolina.  Thanks MRH!!

curried butternut & apple soup

Serves 8-10 as a first course, 4-6 as a meal

Soup:

1 large or 2 small butternut squash, halved vertically

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 T curry powder

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 quart vegetable or chicken stock, divided

½ cup sour cream or 4 oz goat cheese

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Croutons:

1 medium loaf sourdough bread, ends and toughest parts of crust cut off, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/3 cup olive oil

1 ½ t kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400.  Place squash, cut side down, in a shallow baking dish.  Add water to measure about ½ inch deep.  Bake until squash is very soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Cool slightly, then scoop out seeds and discard.  Scoop flesh from skin into a bowl and coarsely mash.  Set aside.  (Note:  this soup can also be made with previously prepared squash, which makes it a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.)

While squash is baking, prepare croutons.  Place bread cubes in gallon ziplock bag (you should have enough so that the bag is about ¾ full).  Drizzle oil over and sprinkle with salt.  Seal bag and shake to coat bread with oil.  Spread bread on a large, rimmed baking sheet.  When squash is removed from oven, place croutons in oven at 400, and bake 10-15 minutes, until golden brown, turning once in the middle of baking.

To make soup, heat a large pot over medium heat.  Melt butter with 1 T olive oil.  Add onions, curry powder, and apples, and sauté until onions are translucent and apples are soft, about 15 minutes.  Add mashed squash; stir to combine.  Stir in about 3 cups of stock, bring to a boil, and simmer about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Puree with a hand blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor.  Return to pan over very low heat, and whisk in sour cream.  If soup is too thick, thin with more stock.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve soup warm with croutons.

 I, of course, was not able to make the croutons but I loved this soup anyway and had it for my lunch today.  To the curry I added turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and cumin.  I also added a stalk of celery and fresh garlic to the onion and apple mixture.  I used 4 cups of veggie broth and had to add more water at the end so I could drink it, but thats just because my teeth are so dang close together.  If you like it thick and you can use your mouth and a spoon the way God intended, follow the recipe.  The hand immersion blender and I have become very close companions this week.