Sully's Kitchen part 2

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Sully’s Kitchen

Butternut squash Pumpkin soup

Welcome back to Sully’s kitchen where we are making Butternut Squash and Pumpkin soup with freshly baked bread! In part one we covered how to make fresh bread, so in part we will cover the soup!Here in the Sullivan house we love our soups, be it hearty beef stews with root vegetables or creamy lentil, mushroom, or 5-green soups. We make our own stocks and use fresh ingredients from our garden when we can. Today’s soup, based heavily on Ina Gartens soup with my own twist,  is perfect for the transition into brisk fall weather, with a color palette that matches the changing trees. It’s perfect for a simple supper, or a great side for a thanksgiving meal. 

The cooking time is about 30-35 minutes long.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon good olive oil

  • 2 yellow onions chopped 

  • 15 ounces can pumpkin puree (canned in this case)

  • 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks

  • 3 apples, peeled and sliced thinly 

  • 3 cups chicken broth (homemade or canned)

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • ½  teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon of allspice

  • 1 cup half and half

Garnish 

  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon 

  • Grated Gruyere

  • Croutons 

  • Chopped Chive or zucchini flower

The first step is peeling your butternut squash and chopping it into about inch cubes. As a side treat, you can opt to save all the seeds to toast and salt. Lightly toss the squash in olive oil and put into a baking sheet or pan to roast in a 425 degree F oven. 

In the meantime add your olive oil and butter to a pot with your onions, cooking them medium-low for 10 minutes or until translucent.

After 7 or so minutes of roasting the squash I like to add 3 apples, sliced to about a quarter of an inch or thinner, and cover both in freshly grated nutmeg and allspice. This goes in for another few minutes, softening the apples and making those spices fragrant. 

Once the 10 minutes are up remove the roasted squash and apples and add them to the onions, along with your can of pumpkin puree, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. In this time the squash and apples will become very tender. 

If you have a blender that can handle large amounts, or if you have a hand blender, puree the soup. It’s at this time I also like to taste for seasoning. I added more fresh nutmeg and salt, but this is to your preference. 

With your cup of half and half gradually pour as the soup is being blended, incorporating the creaminess into the heat slowly. The texture by this addition will really smooth out, as there should be no more lumps or chucks left. 

Top your soup with cinnamon, grated Gruyere cheese, and chive, or if on hand, a zucchini flower. 

This soup is incredibly simple and incredibly tasty; creamy and flavorful, both bright and fresh with a little sweeping warmth from the nutmeg layered within. It also has a beautiful color and a perfect centerpiece to your evening meal. 

Riley Sullivan