A trio of Fall River-grown butternut squash hang out with pumpkins as front porch fall décor.
Butternut squash is more than just a fall front porch holiday décor to join pumpkins and gourds. It’s the star of the soup show, the culinary gateway to all other fall and winter soups.
Looks are deceiving when it comes to butternut squash. They’re not exactly pretty, with their elongated tops, round bottoms and pale apricot-colored rind. They’re firm, have a long shelf life, and even longer refrigerated lifespan, which is why they often end up as decorations. But their bright orange-colored pulp is great in not just soups, but breads, pies and inside ravioli.
Even before I bust out the chili and crockpot, I like to start the cool-weather cooking season with butternut squash soup. It’s super simple, and made in stages, which is my favorite way to cook. It also reminds me of pumpkin pie, especially if there are croutons involved.
Some of the key Best Butternut Squash & Apple Soup ingredients: Butternut squash, apples, onions and apple cider.
The recipe I use is my adaption of Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, which I’ve tweaked a bit over the years. Garten’s recipe uses water and apple cider, while I like to use chicken broth and apple cider (or apple juice). Garten’s recipe features onions, while my recipe features onions, and garlic, too.
Garten’s recipe is fairly thick — almost a Cream of Wheat consistency — while my recipe is thinned and mellowed out with some cream (or half-and-half).
Garten’s recipe calls for peeling and cubing the butternut squash, while I favor an easier way: Poke the butternut squash full of holes using an ice pick (a knife is too dangerous because the squash is hard and prone to slippage on a cutting board). Next, wrap it in foil and put on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven until the squash feels squishy (use a pot hold to do the butternut squash squeeze test).
When it’s nice and soft, remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow to sit and cool as you turn your attention to other parts of the recipe. If you’re not ready to make the soup yet, you can put the cooked, foil-wrapped squash in the refrigerator for up to two days.
It’s the kind of recipe that’s easy to assemble, and you can keep it refrigerated until you are ready to heat and serve it.
What makes today’s recipe extra special is this is first recipe-partnership between A News Cafe and the two Redding Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets, one on Churn Creek Road and the other on Eureka Way, as these stores are once again A News Cafe advertisers. Thank you, Redding Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets! Welcome back.
Aside from the locally grown Fall River butternut squash from a friend that I used for this recipe, I purchased all the other ingredients from my neighborhood West Redding Grocery Outlet Bargain Market at prices far lower than most stores, something especially important during these tough economic times.
Yes, of course, my West Redding Grocery Outlet Bargain Market also had butternut squash.
It also carried some deeply discounted cans of butternut squash soup, for those who’d rather skip the cooking hassle. I won’t judge you if you go that route.
It’s noteworthy that the Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets also feature their own line of products under the “Simple” label, as seen above with butter and olive oil.
When you shop at the Redding Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets, please thank them for advertising with A News Cafe, and tell them Doni sent you.
Without further delay, behold, I give you Doni’s Best Butternut Squash and Apple Soup recipe. Enjoy!
Doni’s Best Butternut Squash Soup is difficult to see in this photo, what with the addition of croutons and a swirl of cream mixed with sour cream, but the soup is there, and it’s delicious.
Doni’s Best Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
2 large butternut squash, about 2.5 pounds each
1 head of garlic
3 tablespoons each olive oil and butter
2 large yellow onions, chopped (about cups)
4 large sweet apples — such as honey crisp — peeled, cored and rough-chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups apple cider or apple juice
1/2 cup cream, or half-and-half
Optional: 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Step 1, butternut squash: Using an ice pick — or similar instrument — carefully poke holes all over the butternut squash. Completely wrap each squash in foil and place on a baking pan.
Step 2, garlic: Cut the top off the entire head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place the garlic on a small square of foil. Drizzle the garlic head with some olive oil. Fold the foil snugly around the garlic head and place it beside the foil-wrapped squash on the baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees. After about 30 minutes, using a pot holder, periodically squeeze the foil-wrapped squash to test for doneness. When it’s squishy soft, remove baking pan from the oven, and let the squash and garlic foil bundles cool.
Step 3, directions: In a large Dutch oven or deep soup pot, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until the onions are limp, translucent, and lightly browned. Add the apples and continue to sauté, being careful not to burn the onions. Add all the spices and stir well, making sure to frequently scrape the bottom of the pot (a wooden spatula works best). Turn off the burner and set aside the pot.
Step 4, tend to the cooled, foil-wrapped squash and garlic packets: Unwrap the squash, cut in half. Scoop out and set aside the cooked fleshy squash. Discard the seeds, the stringy filaments and the outside rind/skin. Add the cooked butternut squash to the pot, which is still set aside, not cooking.
Unwrap the garlic bundle. Using your fingers, hold the garlic head upside down over the foil and squeeze out the cooked garlic cloves. Chop and mash the softened garlic on a cutting board until the garlic is like a paste. Add it to the pot.
Finally, return the pot to the burner and cook on medium, stirring often to incorporate all the ingredients. Add the chicken broth and apple juice and cook for a few minutes more to allow everything to blend.
Using a counter-top blender, blend the soup mixture until it’s a smooth consistency. Note: Everything will not fit in the blender, so blend in batches, pouring the finished, blended soup aside into a large container. (If you have one, an immersion blender is ideal for this step.) Return the blended mixture to the pot, turn on the burner and stir frequently until the soup is fully heated, but not quite simmering. If desired, add maple syrup and stir well. Pour in the cream and blend. Taste to adjust seasonings to your preference.
Top with a drizzle of sour cream and cream mixed together, or a dollop or sour cream. Optional, add croutons.
Serves 6 to 8
###
If you enjoy award-winning journalist Doni Chamberlain’s investigative reporting, commentary, features and food stories, please become a subscriber to help Doni continue her work on A News Cafe. Thank you.
