Excerpted from Sarah Leah Chase’s New England Open-House Cookbook.
When the weather gets cold, almost every restaurant in New England feels obliged to put a butternut squash soup on the menu and the stakes between chefs get quite competitive with everyone trying to outdo one another. This has led in my opinion to some pretty absurd renditions. Truth be told, I like a butternut squash soup that is simple and straightforward and have been making one variation or another of this soup for years. Lately, I have been using fresh ginger and have added a tasty garnishing swirl of cider cream to dress up this otherwise simple and creamless soup. The soup is a breeze to make if you take the shortcut, as I always do, of buying butternut squash that is already peeled and seeded.
Butternut Squash and Cider Soup
Print RecipeIngredients
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, peeled and minced
- 1½ tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 4 cups cubed (1-inch chunks) peeled and seeded butternut squash
- 6½ cups apple cider
- 1½ cups vegetable stock or broth, homemade or good-quality store-bought, or water
- ½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons store-bought dry-roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instructions
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook until the onion is quite soft, about 10 minutes. Add the butternut squash, 6 cups of the cider, and the vegetable stock or water to the pot. Let come to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let the soup simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the remaining ½ cup of cider into a small saucepan, let it come to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced to about ¼ cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the cider cool to room temperature.
Place the crème fraîche or sour cream in a small bowl and whisk in the cooled cider until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and reheat it over medium-low heat. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup hot, ladled into bowls. Place a generous spoonful of the cider cream in the middle of each serving and swirl it over the top of the soup with the tip of a knife to make an attractive marbleized pattern. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the top, if desired, and serve.
Notes
If making in advance, cool and refrigerate, covered, at this point. It will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 20 to 25 minutes. Continue with the recipe.
About the Book:
“I’ve adored Sarah Chase’s cookbooks for decades! This is exactly what you want to cook at home—delicious, satisfying, earthy food your friends and family will love.”
—Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks and Television
From a born-and-bred New Englander comes a book that sings with all the flavors and textures of the beloved region. Sarah Leah Chase is a caterer, cooking teacher, and prolific writer whose books—including The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook (as coauthor) and Nantucket Open-House Cookbook—have over 3.4 million copies in print. For New England Open-House Cookbook, she draws from her memories of growing up in Connecticut and Maine; her experience living and cooking on Cape Cod; and her extensive travels meeting farmers, fishermen, and chefs. The result is a wide-ranging cookbook for everyone who has skied the mountains of Vermont, sailed off the coast of Maine, dug for clams on Cape Cod, or just wishes they had. It reflects the bountiful ingredients and recipes of New England, served up in evocative prose, gorgeous full-color photographs, and 300 delicious recipes.
All of New England’s classic dishes are represented, including a wealth of shellfish soups and stews and a full chapter celebrating lobster. From breakfast (Debbie’s Blue Ribbon Maine Muffins) to delightful appetizers and nibbles (Tiny Tumbled Tomatoes, Oysters “Clark Rockefeller”) to mains for every season and occasion: Baked Bluefish with New Potatoes and Summer Rib Eyes with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic. Plus: perfect picnic recipes, farmstand sides, and luscious desserts.
Buy the Book
Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | Workman
No Comments