Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Title:
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Soups,
Stews




Ingredients:





     1    Onion


     1    Clove garlic


     1    Piece ginger root; 1-inch


          -long


     3 lb Butternut squash


   3/4 lb Granny Smith apples


   1/2    Lemon


     3 tb Butter


          Salt and pepper


     1 qt Chicken stock


   1/4 c  Apple juice


          Fried spiced croutons,


          -recipe below






 PREPARE THE VEGETABLES AND APPLES: Peel the onion, leaving a little of the


 root attached, and cut it lengthwise in half. Lay each onion half on a


 cutting board and slice horizontally toward the root, leaving the slices


 attached at the root end.


 


 Make a series of vertical cuts through the onion, cutting just to the root,


 but not through it. Finally, cut across the onion to make a dice.


 


 Set the flat side of a chef's knife on top of the garlic clove and strike


 it with you fist. Discard the skin and finely chop the garlic clove. Peel


 and finely chop the ginger root.


 


 Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin from the butternut squash and


 discard. Cut the squash lengthwise in half then into quarters. Cut out and


 discard the seeds and fibers. With a chef's knife, cut the flesh of the


 squash crosswise into 3/4-inch chunks and set aside.


 


 Peel the skin from the apples with the vegetable peeler. With a small


 knife, cut the flower and stem ends from the apples. Cut the apples in


 half, then in quarters. Cut out the cores and cut the apples into 3/4-inch


 cubes. Put the apple cubes in a bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to


 coat evenly.


 


 MAKE THE SOUP: Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, and


 ginger root and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, 2 - 3 minutes.


 


 Stir the cubes of squash and apple into the pot. Season to taste with salt


 and pepper. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently,


 stirring occasionally, until the squash and apples are very tender, about


 40 minutes. Meanwhile, make the fried spiced croutons.


 


 Remove the soup from the heat, let cool slightly, then puree it in a food


 processor or blender.


 


 Reheat the soup, then add the apple juice and stir well to mix. If the soup


 is too thick, add a little more stock. Taste the soup for seasoning.


 


 Ladle the soup into warmed individual bowls. If serving with croutons,


 sprinkle a few in the center of each bowl and pass around extras.


 


 FRIED SPICED CROUTONS: Cut three slices of bread into 3/8-inch cubes. In a


 small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon curry powder and one large pinch each of


 ground nutmeg and cardamom, and add pepper to taste. Heat 3 - 4 tablespoons


 oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and fry,


 stirring, until brown on all sides, 2 - 3 minutes.


 


 Sprinkle the spice mixture over the croutons, stir to mix, then take the


 pan from the heat immediately. Lift out the croutons with a slotted spoon


 and drain well on paper towels.


 


 VARIATION: Omit the Granny Smith apples from the recipe. While the soup is


 cooking, make an apple confit. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium-size


 saute pan and add 2 peeled and dice McIntosh apples. When they're heated


 through, add 1/2 cup apple juice, cover thepan, and cook over medium heat


 for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes to


 reduce the liquid. Mash the apples, making sure the confit retains some


 texture.


 


 Stir half the confit into the soup, saving the rest to stir into each


 serving. season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Add a spoonful of


 apple confit and a swirl of creme fraiche to each serving. (From Fields Of


 Greens by Annie Somerville.)


 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #200


 


 Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 23:13:49 -0400


 


 From: ADAMSFMLE@aol.com


 Serving Ideas : Top with Roquefort cheese and chopped toasted walnuts.