Curried Butternut Squash

This is actually a soup I made for the first time several weeks ago, and ever since then my mouth has watered any time I thought about.  It's also the soup that made my housemate Monica, a self-proclaimed non-lover of soup, eager to be one of my taste testers.  With that pedigree in mind I decided that it was a safe choice for my first foray into the soup project.

In case you're planning to try these recipes for yourself, let me tell you that this is THE PERFECT fall soup.  Do not put off making it because eating it on a chilly day with the changing leaves outside is necessary to get the full and unadulterated experience.  My apologies to those of you living in non-fall-friendly climates.

The basic recipe for this soup came from The Food Network's website, one of my first go-to resources for any new recipe I want to try.  Their suggestions gave me an idea for proportions and then I made my own additions (apples, garlic, curry) to give some extra kick.

As you may have guessed, the most important ingredient here is a beautiful butternut squash.

I started by cutting my squash in half length-wise, scooping out all of the seeds, and then baking it for about 30 minutes on a foil-covered baking sheet in order to soften it up enough for peeling and cubing.  While that was in the oven, I went to work chopping up onions, apples, and garlic and got those heating on the stove top.  The squash and chicken stock then get added to the mix and I let everything simmer and soften for another 15 minutes or so.

(My eyes water just looking at this picture!)

Then comes the BEST part!  The original recipe instructs you to transfer the chunky parts of the mixture to a blender for pureeing...what a mess, right?  That's where one of my favorite kitchen tools, the immersion blender, comes into play.  Plug it in, stick it in the soup, and let it go to work.  It's fast, easy, and a complete breeze to clean (seriously...like 15 seconds, especially compared to the pain of taking an entire blender apart).  Plus, I just think it's really fun to watch.  I received mine as a gift (thanks, mom!), and highly recommend it.

Once you've pureed to your heart's content, stir in your spices and you're ready to serve.  I recommend a dollop of sour cream stirred in, but there's really nothing else you need to add to make this a meal. Between the tang of the apples and the heat of the curry it's full of flavor, and I leave mine a little bit chunky which gives it an especially hearty feel.  However, if you already have some made it certainly would be advisable to finish things off with some homemade apple crisp.  The sweet tooth needs to be satisfied, too!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 3-lb butternut squash, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped (I definitely recommend granny smith...they're tart enough to really cut through the other strong flavors)

4 cups chicken stock (the original recipe suggests 6, but I prefer a thicker soup)

Curry and Nutmeg to taste (I never measure these, but I probably used about 1/2 tablespoon of nutmeg and around 2 tablespoons of curry)

Cut baked squash into 1-inch chunks.  In a large pot, melt butter and cook garlic, apples, and onions about 8 minutes.  Add squash and stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.  Puree all with whatever blending implement you have available.  Stir and season with curry, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Serve.  Love.