butternut squash soup

I don't find the internet an appropriate forum to share details about my personal life, and that's not what this blog was intended to be. It's about food: what I make, what you make, what we like to eat, etc. But the way we eat is contextual to the rest of our lives, clearly, and I (and my family) have had a truly painful and overwhelming past two weeks: great loss, great love.

So if you know me, you'll know why I have been away for a while. If you don't know me, I find that I don't need you to know why I've been away.

I'll just say that ...

The world spins on, we go on, and we must eat. So let's eat well, dammit.

Soup has seemed the most comforting, palatable option. Modest and homey. On Christmas Eve, we made a butternut squash soup. Thick puree, incredibly filling, sweet and savory, oh yes. This will be made again. Soon.

Wishing you all a very happy new year,

Mary



Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4)

1 Large butternut squash, quartered lengthwise, seeds removed
1 Apple (I used a Fuji), peeled and diced
1 Medium sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Olive oil
Butter (optional, but recommended)
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400.
Place squash in roasting pan and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Scoop out the meat of the squash with a large spoon and discard the skin.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil with one tbsp butter (alternately you can use a little more oil) in a large pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and season with salt and pepper. Sautee until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove onion from pan and set aside.

In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil, then add the diced apple. Season with salt, pepper, and a scant 1/4 tsp of nutmeg. Cook until softened, then set aside.

In a large pot, combine scooped squash, onion, apple, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine, then just cover with water. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.

You can puree the soup either with an immersion blender or a regular blender. If you use a regular standing blender, puree in batches (only fill the blender about half full), and only cover it LIGHTLY to allow the steam to escape--otherwise you with have a major soup volcano on your hands.

Check for seasoning. If you have seasoned every layer of the ingredients, you should have a well-seasoned soup, and it should need very little adjusting at this stage.

Serve garnished with fresh cracked pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.