Butternut Squash Soup

 

I wanted to try this butternut squash recipe from Ruth Reichl's My Kitchen Year cookbook.  She is my number one favorite food writer and I have every book she has ever written.

I believe this is going to become my "go-to" butternut squash soup recipe.  In the past I have pretty much always made this Cream of Butternut Squash Soup which is really good but this recipe is so light and simple.  Not just in how it's made but  because it doesn't have added cream, sherry, etc. the beautiful fresh flavor of the squash is the star of the show. 

Aside from a little olive oil, salt and water these are the only ingredients to create this soup. Since everything is going to be pureéd you don't have to be particular about chopping the vegetables.

Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a little olive oil until tender.  Notice my last sentence..very to the point and boring.  Here is how Ruth instructs: "Slick the bottom of a casserole or Dutch oven with olive oil, add the vegetables, and let them tumble into tenderness, ......"  How great is that? (bold emphasis is mine).

 Add the squash and potato to the vegetables and add salt and water.

Cover and simmer until everything is soft.

 

In batches, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and pureé until smooth.

Return to pot to re-heat. 

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil or balsamic vinegar.  I topped mine off with a little splash of Apple Balsamic that I bought at Vomfass in Scottsdale. Perfect.


Butternut Squash Soup
From My Kitchen Year - 136 Recipes that Saved My Life" by Ruth Reichl
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 stalk celery
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
1 pound butternut squash
1/2 pound potato (preferably waxy like Yukon Gold)
salt
water

Mise en Place:

• roughly chop celery (I like to pull most of the strings off the stalk first)
• peel and roughly chop carrots
• roughly chop onion
• peel and cut the squash into 3/4 " pieces (butternut is easier to cut if you peel it first. Be sure to peel down to the bright orange flesh)
• peel and roughly chop the potato

Method:
Drizzle a little olive oil to cover the bottom of a Dutch oven.  Sauté the celery, carrots, and onion until tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir the squash and potato into the vegetables, add a couple teaspoons of Kosher salt and toss.  Bring 2-1/2 cups of water to boil in the microwave then add to the vegetables.  Cover and allow to simmer until all ingredients are soft.

Transfer the mixture, in batches, to a blender and pureé.  Be sure to cover the lid of the blender with a folded tea-towel in case their are any "explosions" - this is a hot mixture.  Return the pureé to a pot to re-heat.

Serve in bowls and drizzle with a little olive oil or Balsamic vinegar.