Butternut Squash Soup with Apple & Bacon

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I've mentioned before that I am not a huge fan of squash. I had half of the butternut squash left over after Thanksgiving and wasn't sure what to do with it. I found this recipe on the Fine Cooking web site

The combination of smoky bacon, herby sage, and sweet apple give this squash soup layers of flavor. The end result is a sophisticated soup which is easy to make - I think it was 40 minutes form start to finish. I like that!

Enjoy!

ingredients

8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
2-1/2 lb. butternut squash (about 1 medium), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (to yield about 6 cups)
1 small Granny Smith or other tart-sweet apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (to yield about 1 cup)
1-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cups homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth

how to make

In a 5-quart or larger stockpot set over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Increase heat to medium high. Add the squash to the pot with the bacon fat and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes (resist the urge to stir it too often or it won’t brown). Stir in the apple, sage, salt, and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes (you’ll see more browning occur on the bottom of the pot than on the vegetables). Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool somewhat.

Add about half the bacon to the soup and purée, using a stand or immersion blender (you’ll need to work in batches if using a stand blender). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Reheat the soup and garnish each serving with the remaining bacon.

From Fine Cooking74, pp. 67

Comments

[Barbara]

Yummmm! I'm not a squash fan either, but this recipe could definitely change my mind!

[Jerry]

Barb - it was a great soup. I think that I might increase the amount of apple - either by adding a second apple or by exchanging a cup of the chicken stock for a cup of apple cider.

[Palma]

I've made the Williams-Sonoma recipe for butternut squash-apple soup for years (and buy jars of their pureed squash every fall), but I love the idea of bacon and sage in it. Yes, I also increased the amount of apple!

Maybe in Nov. we'll get a "cold spell" and have a 75 degree "soup day". And my freezer will be blessedly empty!

[Jerry]

Palma, my friend, your idea of a cold spell and mine are so far apart! LOL

[Kim]

I'm thinking, hmmm... this soup served as a starter on t-giving - and since we usually end up doing buffet (over 12 adults constitutes buffet), I'm thinking serving it in little demitasse (sp) cups. Need to experiment!

[Jerry]

Kim - it would be perfect served that way. For a large meal you don't need a huge starter anyway. A friend of mine serves stuff like this in shot glasses - although that isn't the best for Thanksgiving! LOL