It is officially the fall season and I am so excited to get my hands on this fall’s harvest. Now I’m not trying to rush summer out the door but I personally love all things fall.
Some things I look forward to are the hearty greens, pumpkins, Brussels sprouts, acorn and butternut squash, cauliflower and cabbage. So many delicious fall veggies – perfect for serving up all season long.
I thought I’d let the season cool off before I brought on the pumpkin spice, so this week I’ve indulged myself in some butternut squash. I prefer it just roasted and tossed on a salad, but this fall-harvested squash is also great for making soups or purees, too. Not only does butternut squash taste great, it also offers a significant source of dietary fiber and it is full of potassium and vitamin B6.
Soups and sometimes purees can be a great way to incorporate multiple veggies into your diet. The recipe I’ve provided for butternut squash soup not only includes squash but also carrots and apples. I find the apples are a great natural sweetener and can help brighten the flavor of the squash, making it appealing to everyone at the dinner table, young and old.
This soup can be served alongside a sandwich, or topped with some pumpkin seeds or croutons, it can stand on its own. If you’re looking to keep it vegan, just replace the cream with almond milk or omit completely.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, approx 2 lbs.
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 small apples or 1 big apple, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place squash cut side down on a foil-lined sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 1 hour or until fork tender. Remove and let cool.
- In a medium soup pot sauté the onion and carrot in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the apple and dried thyme. Remove the roasted squash from the skin and add to the pot. Stir well to combine. Add 3 cups of the stock and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Using an emulsion blender, a food processor or a standard blender, purée the soup. If the soup is too thick add more stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until it reaches the consistency desired. Pour back into the soup pot. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste. Heat until ready to serve but do not boil. Serve immediately or cool and freeze in containers.
[divider]
Kayleigh Van Vliet Baig was born and raised in Riverhead, where she lives with her husband Tahir and their two dogs.Kayleigh is in her third season as Sous Chef at a private kitchen in Southampton. Not only is she second in command but her main focus is on creating, preparing and executing cold dishes such as salads, hors d’œuvres, appetizers, canapés, pâtés and terrines. Kayleigh has been in the culinary industry for the last 15 years, working her way up in kitchens on the East End. She also is a personal chef.
Look for In the Kitchen with Kayleigh every Saturday on RiverheadLOCAL.com.
Got questions? Recipes? Ideas? [contact-form-7 id=”27493″ title=”Write to Kayleigh”]
