Day 299: Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream ♥

~ recipe & photo updated in 2007 ~

2005: Regulars at the Epicurious Buzz Box will recognize this recipe. Since its appearance in 1998, some 200 cooks have rated it with four forks for 'dish beyond compare'. Based on those reviews, my expectations were high, so high I even splurged by leaving in the cream. I was soooo prepared for something wonderfully delicious. But tonight's soup turned out only okay, certainly nothing to rave about nor ever make again. Since so many other cooks have loved this soup, it's possible that tonight's particular circumstances changed its outcome. Winter squash can be watery and flavorless, plus for a half recipe, I cut the I cut the butter from 2 1/2 tablespoons to 1.

2007: Sure enough, if the squash itself has flavor, the soup will be delicious. I used roasted pumpkin (pumpkin and butternut squash are often interchanged) and so the soup was on the table in about 20 minutes, completely delicious. I skipped the cider cream, though remember it being good.

---

VEGETABLE RECIPES from the ARCHIVES

~ more butternut squash recipes ~

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP with CIDER CREAM
Hands-on time: 30 minutes (with already-roasted squash)
Time to table: 60 minutes
Makes 4 cups

IF NEEDED, ROAST THE SQUASH
Wash a 2 1/2 pound butternut squash and roast (whole so no finger-risking cutting required, no knife pricks to avoid exploding either) at 425F for 90 minutes. Let cool, then scoop out and discard the seeds and then the flesh. The whole squash yield about 3 cups, the soup recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups.

SOUP
1/2 cup apple cider
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (tonight, No Waste Leek Stock)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 leek, green and white parts only, cleaned and cut in half moons
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 Thai peppers, seeded, membrane removed, minced fine (my addition)
Cooked flesh from half a butternut squash (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 cup half 'n' half (the recipe called for cream)

Bring the apple cider and vegetable stock to a boil in the microwave. (This is a time-saving step that can be skipped if there's no rush.)

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over MEDIUM HIGH until shimmery. Add the leek, carrot, celery, peppers and squash as they're prepped, stirring well with each addition to coat with the fat. Let cook til just beginning to soften. Add the apple, thyme, sage and stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to MEDIUM LOW (medium is too high a temperature) and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree with an immersion blender or in a blender. (Puree in batches in a regular blender, otherwise the hot liquid will expand and blow the lid right off.) Stir in the cream. Top with cider cream and serve.

CIDER CREAM
1/4 cup apple cider
1/3 cup sour cream

Cook the apple cider in a small pan until reduced by about half. Stir into the sour cream and serve on top of the soup.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 224 Cal (41% from Fat, 16% from Protein, 43% from Carb); 9 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 6 g Sat Fat; 25 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb23; 110 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 1029 mg Sodium; 23 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 5 points

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Bon Appetit November 1998

(c) Copyright 2006 Kitchen Parade