butternut squash and apple soup

When the summer decides it's had enough of the spotlight already, trees shed their leaves and I make the ceremonious pajama change from shorts to sweats, there is one thing I look forward to: soup.  There are few things more soul-snuggling than a bowl of soup, especially when accompanied by a crusty piece of bread.  I mean, the greats of comfort-food combinations are born from this common knowledge - chili and cornbread, tomato soup and grilled cheese, and I would name more but is it really necessary after the mention of those two? So naturally, when Giada put a piece of crusty bread all covered in blistered, gooey cheese on top of a silky puréed butternut squash soup, it was bound to catch my attention.  Then at Tender Greens, I bought some pumpkin apple soup on a whim, which came with a piece of ciabatta grilled to perfection and obviously there for dipping, and was not disappointed. It didn't seem to have any cream (score!) but boasted a creamy color and a ridiculously silky texture all the same.  What was most memorable about it was the sprinkling of a few pomegranate seeds throughout the soup, lending an occasional burst of tanginess to its mild sweetness.



This is my interpretation of both of these ideas combined, and I think it's one I can really, really say is a winner.   It shouts "YES" in response to the only two questions that really matter - "Does it taste good?" and "Can I make it?"  The potato adds the body and silkiness that cream would, the apple echoes the sweetness of the squash, and the cinnamon and nutmeg add a barely-there but unmistakably Thanksgiving touch.  There is no roasting involved; only a bit of dicing, peeling, dumping, and waiting.  Sounds easy enough, right?

before I blew them up into mediocre oblivion

Before I go on though, I have a slight confession to make.  See, I got a little excited with the contrast (flavor! color! texture!) the pomegranate seeds provided, but pomegranate wasn't on sale at the market so I bought fresh cranberries instead, intending to make a sort of cranberry relish for garnish.  The only thing is, when I roasted them with some brown sugar, they basically turned into ordinary, cloyingly sweet dried cranberries you could buy at the market, except a little juicier.  I ended up feeling neutral about them after their sweetness was mellowed out a bit in the soup, but neutral won't ever good enough to recommend to you.  I did get some striking pictures out of them, though (isn't nature so beautiful alone?), which is why I'm sharing them anyway.  I still think pomegranate seeds would be a more-than-welcome addition to the soup if you should choose to use them.





Don't you know this week is Thanksgiving?  Where all yo Thanksgiving recipes at?
I'm not sure if you have this question, and even less sure that you would ask it in this way, but I'll answer just in case.  This is one of the recipes I wanted to share for Thanksgiving; the "Giada at Home" episode I mentioned was actually a Thanksgiving one. I made it a week ago, but had a crazy week and didn't get around to posting it until now.  As for additional recipes, I will be test-running a couple side dishes tomorrow that I'm planning to bring to my family's dinner on Thursday - so if they turn out well, I'll be sharing them tomorrow.  That is a lofty promise, my friends. But, as the mommy Korean turkey famously reminds the baby Korean turkey, Thanksgiving is no joke.

If you don't understand that, I'm sorry.

(Actually, even if you do, I'm sorry.)

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Serves about 6

2 tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 cups butternut squash, diced*
1 cup fuji apple, diced
1 cup yukon gold potatoes, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp sage, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg

Optional garnish(es):
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 cup fontina cheese, shredded

*If you buy a whole butternut squash (which is the most economical way to go), prep it using this method.  If you find the squash to be too tough, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to soften it slightly and make your job easier.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add in the onion, garlic, and carrots, and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Stir occasionally, and cook until the onions are translucent and carrots start to soften.  Add the butternut squash, apple, potatoes, chicken broth, sage, and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, put the lid on, and cook over low heat for 25 minutes or until the butternut squash and potatoes can easily be poked with a fork.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is silky and smooth (or alternatively blend it in a food processor or blender in batches - however you do it, be careful!).  Season more to taste if needed, then serve with desired garnishes.

 If using the ciabatta and fontina crostini, preheat your oven to 450F. Arrange slices of ciabatta on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and cover each slice with about 1/8 cup of shredded fontina cheese.  Bake for about 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.