roasted butternut squash and apple soup

Makes 4 to 5 servings

You are probably expecting something sweet and cinnamon-y, but that’s not what you’re going to get. This soups heads in another, very refreshing direction, opting for tart over sweet (or, to be more accurate, a playful tension between both sweet and tart) and it chooses the mysterious savory presence of sage over the more predictable (and in my opinion, overused) pumpkin-pie family of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves). Ix-nay on those this time around! It’s time for something entirely different—and quite utterly great-tasting.

Unless you give it a little help, squash can be bland. Roasting it in chunks at a high temperature intensifies its natural sugars, bringing out a wonderfully sweet, toasty flavor. You can roast the squash in advance. If you do, let it cool and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; let it come to room temperature (or warm it in the microwave) before making the soup.

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium (about 4 pounds) butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped

1½ teaspoons salt

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced

½ teaspoon crumbled dried (or rubbed) sage

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

4 cups water

Up to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, as needed

Up to 1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark), as needed

1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position, and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with foil and drizzle it with the olive oil.

2. Use a sharp heavy knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. (Do this very carefully. Safest technique: Insert the point of the knife first, and use a gentle sawing motion to initiate the cutting.) Use scissors to cut loose the strands of pulp around the seeds, and then scrape the seeds away with a spoon. Discard the seeds or reserve them to toast (see Chapter 1: Soups). Use a sturdy vegetable peeler to peel the squash halves. Then cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces, once again being careful with your knife because the squash can be both very hard and very slippery. (The shape and uniformity of the chunks do not matter, since it will all get puréed.)

3. Arrange the squash chunks in a single layer on the prepared tray, and roast in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pieces are fork-tender and turning golden around the edges. (Shake the tray a few times during the roasting to keep the pieces from sticking.) Remove from the oven and set aside.

4. While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter foams, swirl to coat the pan, and then add the onion and salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.

5. Add the apple slices, along with the sage and thyme, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are very tender.

6. Add the roasted squash and the water to the onion-apple mixture. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting. Cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

7. Remove the pot from the heat, uncover, and let it sit until the soup cools down to a comfortable puréeing temperature. Use a blender or immersion blender (see Chapter 1: Soups) to purée the soup until it is smooth.

8. Time for the taste test: If the soup tastes good, you’re there. If it seems too sweet, add some or all of the lemon juice. If it’s tarter than you like, add brown sugar to taste.

9. If necessary, reheat the soup gently over medium-low heat, being careful not to let it cook or boil. Serve hot.

TOASTING SQUASH SEEDS

The next time you cook a butternut or acorn squash (or carve a pumpkin), save the seeds for toasting. They make a tasty little snack and a crunchy garnish for soups and salads. Preheat the oven or a toaster oven to 300°F. Put the seeds in a colander and rinse them under cold water, discarding any bits of stringy squash. Drain the seeds, dry them with paper towels or a clean tea towel, and then spread them on a foil-lined baking tray or toaster oven tray. Sprinkle on a little olive oil and salt, and toss to coat well. (You can also add a bit of seasoning, like chili powder or cumin.) Roast the seeds for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring them once during that time, until they’re golden brown and just starting to pop open. Let the toasted seeds cool; you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or more. Or just snack on them right away.

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GET CREATIVE

• This soup goes particularly well with Old-Fashioned Iceberg Wedges with Luxurious Bleu Cheese Dressing (Chapter 2: Salads).
• Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.
• Top with a sprinkling of fresh apple, minced or grated on the large holes of a grater.
• Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of toasted squash seeds (see preceding note).
• Top with a few toasted sliced almonds or chopped toasted pecans.
• Garnish with a fresh sage leaf or a sprig of fresh thyme.
• Garnish with a scattering of pomegranate seeds or a drizzle of pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking).
• Make this vegan by replacing the butter with canola, soy, or peanut oil.