An Autumn Staple

At first glance, butternut squash is super intimidating. Your knife isn't big enough to slice through it; the amount of skin you have to remove is overwhelming - and there are seeds to remove, too!? But really, once you get the hang of it you will be able to prepare butternut squash in your sleep. My secret? Microwave the squash for one minute and then slice off the top and bottom to expose the flesh. Your (sharpened!) knife will slice right through it, and skinning and de-seeding will be a breeze. Here’s how I do it…

Butternut Squash Soup

Hangry Timer: 60 minutes
Feeds: 6
Cost: $10

What You Need:

2 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted
1 small Onion, chopped
1 stalk Celery, chopped
1 medium Carrot, chopped
1 Granny Smith Apple or Asian Pear
1 medium Butternut Squash - peeled, seeded and cubed
32oz. Chicken stock
½ tsp. Nutmeg
½ tsp. Curry powder (optional)
½ tsp. Cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt
Pepper

Toppings:
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Crème fraiche/Sour Cream
Cilantro
Candied Pecans
Dried Cranberries
Sautéed Mushrooms & Spinach

What To Do With It:

Melt butter in a large pot. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot, apple and squash for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and onions are translucent.  Add 2 TBSP salt and 1 tsp pepper. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Stir in any remaining stock to attain your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, nutmeg, curry powder and cayenne to taste.  Top with toasted pumpkin seeds, crème fraiche and fresh herbs or a variety of toppings of your choosing. Enjoy!