Two squash winter soup
Months ago I got over being intimidated by butternut squash and recently embraced acorn squash also. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but I never had a clue what to do with these multicolored, corrugated vegetables.
Together, these squash make a fantastic soup perfect with a mixed green salad on a cold, rainy night. There are surprise ingredients to provide brightness and depth to the flavor. I admit to serving it with croutons.
This recipe is not one to be made after work for busy families, but best created if you have time on a day off. It took me 1 hour and 26 minutes total elapsed time in the kitchen, though not all was spent on the soup preparation. It requires more than one pot.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 leek, white part, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (one surprise)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (the other surprise)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
- Brush the squash with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Hide a clove of garlic and a sprig of thyme in the cavity under each half.
- Roast the squash until fork tender and a little caramelized, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, add a little olive oil to a heavy soup pot and "sweat" (cool term real chefs use) the onion, celery, and leek for about 10 minutes until soft, but not brown.
- Meanwhile, in another pot, heat the broth with the cinnamon stick to boiling, then simmer while diced vegetables are cooking. I found that scooping out the roasted squash was the most difficult step as it was very hot to handle. After combinations of messy hot pads, oven mitts, and a kitchen towel, I settled on holding the squash down with a wooden spoon, so as not to tear the skin too much, and scraping the flesh out with a sharp knife.
- Add the squash flesh and roasted garlic to the soup pot with the other vegetables. Add 4 cups of hot broth and the cinnamon stick. Simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. Add more hot broth to reach desired consistency. I left it on the thick side.
- Purée the soup in batches. If you are using a blender, make sure the top is on tight. Strain the soup through a sieve into a clean pot, pushing it through with a large spoon. Add the apple cider vinegar and the maple syrup, then season to taste with salt and pepper.