Sunday, March 1, 2009

Savory Butternut Squash Soup

I'm not crazy about the sweetness that most butternut squash soups are flavored with. I always sort of feel like I'm eating dessert for dinner, but not in a good way. :P So this recipe is a savory one. It's jam-packed with vegetables, and the colors are GORGEOUS. I like serving it during the holidays: the red, white and green of the vegetables look fantastic in the deep yellow color of the soup. Mmmmmmmm.

The Recipe
3 Tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (or 2 cups frozen pre-diced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small package fresh rosemary, chopped OR 3 Tbs dried, crumbled into the pan
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (or 1 28-oz can)
6 cups chicken broth
10 cups butternut squash puree (methods below), or use canned pumpkin (and sage instead of rosemary)*
1 package frozen broccoli, thawed in the microwave
1 package frozen cauliflower, thawed in the microwave
1 cup cream or ½ & ½ (optional)
Bleu cheese crumbles for garnish (Yes, really. It’s FANTASTIC.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a stock pot and add the onions and rosemary. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to turn a little brown. If the onions get too dry, add a little juice from the canned tomatoes.

Add the tomatoes and the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the butternut squash about 2 cups at a time, stirring to combine after each addition.

(Note: if you are making this for a party, you can assemble it up to this point and then continue with the recipe about a half hour before you want to serve it. Make sure to heat the soup back to almost-boiling before continuing the recipe, though.)

Add the broccoli and cauliflower and heat through. Just before serving, add the cream or ½ & ½ and stir to combine.

Garnish with bleu cheese crumbles and a little salt and pepper. (I hardly ever add salt to a dish while it's cooking, especially if I know the ingredients - like canned tomatoes - have salt already added. Everyone likes different amounts of salt in their food, so I just think it's easier to put out the shakers.)




Serve with bread and a plate of olive oil and minced garlic for dipping.

*To make butternut squash puree:
Method 1: if you have a well-stocked Trader Joe’s nearby, just buy it canned. You’ll need 5 15-oz cans

Method 2: Sometimes you can find cubed butternut squash in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery. If so, just thaw it in the microwave and either dump it in the food processor or mash it up with a fork. Each package will make about 1 1/2-2 cups of puree. (If you end up with a little too much or a little too little, just use whatever you've got. It'll be fine.)

Method 3: Buy some butternut squash (figure 1 pound of squash for every 1 ½ cups of puree – so 4 pounds of squash will make 6 cups of puree). With a fork, pierce the outside a bunch of times. Microwave it for 8-10 minutes, cut it in half, and scoop out the insides. Repeat for as many squash as you have.

Method 4: Substitute canned pumpkin, and instead of rosemary, use sage.

4 comments:

  1. You've talked about this soup, and the rest of us have been curious, to say the least! You wax rhapsodic and clam up--pun DEFINITELY intended! Ha!--when we ask for the recipe! I'm excited to try this!

    Love,
    Your mother

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  2. Ha! Sorry! I didn't realize I'd never given you the recipe! (Although in all fairness, this isn't the ORIGINAL recipe; I've made my own adjustments over the years. ;D)

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  3. This recipe looks really yummy. I'm going to try it. Actually I'd rather try it by flying to southern CA and have you fix me a bowl of it.

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  4. LOL Pod, if you fly out to Southern CA, I will TOTALLY fix it for you! ;)

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