Curried Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Isn’t it crazy how the weather so closely relates to the foods we crave and cook?  I’m not just talking about the ingredients that are  in season, although they definitely play a major role in the food that we choose to eat.  I’m talking about what we crave internally.  During the summer it’s all about keeping meals light and quick.  We choose salads and grill up lean, healthy proteins.  You certainly won’t find me cooking up a big pot of chili or baked mac and cheese during the summer months.  Those dishes don’t even cross my mind while the weather is warm.

But, as soon as that cold air hits, I am instantly craving a big plate of comfort.  Bring on the pastas and meatloaf and pork ribs with ‘kraut.  Healthy, light salads with a piece of grilled chicken simply won’t do when Fall comes around.  So, if you’re like me, looking for a way to satisfy your comfort food craving while still using seasonal ingredients, look no further than this curried butternut squash and apple soup.

We are lucky enough to be part of an awesome CSA which hosts an annual potluck lunch, including a farm tour and pumpkin picking!  During the tour, we were able to pick vegetables right off the vine and pull them up from the ground.  We filled our picnic bag up with tomatoes, tomatillos, green peppers.  We also picked some carrots and butternut squash, both needed to put this soup on the menu.

This soup is so rich in flavor, but doesn’t leave you feeling overly full.  Plus, the smell while all of the ingredients are simmering on the stove top is wonderfully comforting.  The naturally sweet squash and apple complements the savory yellow curry powder.  And, at the very end of each slurp there’s a kick of ginger.  The soup itself is thick and creamy, so it is filling enough to be a dinner all on its own.  Or serve it up as a flavorful starter for a multi-course meal.  There really is nothing quite like a comforting bowl of soup made with seasonal ingredients when the days get shorter and turn cooler.   Wrap yourself up in a blanket and enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

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Serves	10
Prep time	1 hour, 30 minutes
Cook time	1 hour
Total time	2 hours, 30 minutes
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Soup, Starter

Ingredients

• 1 sweet white onion ( roughly chopped)
• 3 carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
• 2 butternut squash (peeled, cubed)
• 2 large apples (peeled, cored and roughly chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves

Directions

1.	In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add onion and carrot. Season with salt. Sweat vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add curry powder. Stir to combine.
2.	Add apple, ginger, and butternut squash. Season with salt and white pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly (to ensure the curry powder does not burn on bottom of the pan).
3.	Add chicken or vegetable stock, heavy cream, fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat (not high heat, so the cream will not heat up too quickly), then reduce to a simmer.
4.	Cook for 30 - 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until squash is tender. Let cool for at least one hour.
5.	Remove bay leaves and thyme springs. Using a blender, puree in batches. Only fill the blender up about halfway and cover with a towel when blending (unless you want to take a chance on butternut squash soup flying all over your kitchen.) Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

* Cutting a squash can be difficult, so make sure you have a large, sharp chef’s knife to make the process easier.  Peel the squash first using a regular vegetable peeler.  Then, carefully cut the squash in half. (While Mr. Big Flavors may be strong enough to accomplish this with one whack, I am not.)  I find it easier to push the knife into the flesh and then rock the knife back and forth until it goes through the entire squash.  Super technical, I know.  Then, scoop out the seeds and use the same knife technique to cube up each half of the squash.  I’ve read that you can also poke holes with a fork into the skin first and microwave the squash to soften it a bit before cutting it open.  if you give this a try, let me know how it goes.  Just remember to remain patient and be careful because you definitely don’t want to chop a finger.  Appendages do not make soups taste good.

Need another Fall flavored soup?

Bacon Topped Potato Leek Soup

Shared with: Simple Living, Farm Girl Blog Fest, It’s Fall Ya’ll Link Party, Weekend Potluck, Strut Your Stuff Saturday

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