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Recipe: Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This curried butternut squash soup with a hint of apple is a great way to start your Thanksgiving meal. It's simple, can be prepared in stages over 2-3 days, and can be made at your home or someone else's!

Sitting down and settling in to the start of a Thanksgiving meal is a perfect moment to pause. The parade of delicious bounty is about to begin. Soup is comfort for me. One big exhale and it's perhaps the most reflective course of the meal - preparation for the feast to follow.

I've found the question of the day, "What are you thankful for?" is easier to answer in front of a wafting, warm bowl of soup. Winter squash were most likely a part of the very first Thanksgiving and though I doubt they dolloped it with creme fraiche, luckily we can. Hmmm....something else to be grateful for!

This soup can be made ahead a day or two or in simple stages. I'm often asked to bring this dish, so I pack my immersion blender if I'm not hosting. You can certainly make it in a blender.

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Look for squash that are unblemished and thick skinned with a bit of stem. If you buy squash in pre-cut packaged pieces (and I'm all for the convenience of that) check that the flesh is bright and appears to be somewhat moist. Squash can last several months in a cool, dry spot. However, once it's cut, it needs to be refrigerated and put to use in 2-3 days.

You may have to adjust the amount of broth and apple juice you use depending on how much pulp is yielded from your squash, but trust me, it's all very forgiving and I encourage you to taste as you go. Season with salt and pepper to taste at the end.

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Curried Butternut Squash Soup with a Hint of Apple

Serves 4-6

You will need:

2 pounds of butternut squash - to yield about 4 cups cooked

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (more if needed)

2 cups diced yellow or brown onions  (1-2 onions)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger (optional)

2 teaspoons of yellow curry

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cups of chicken stock or two 14.5-ounce cans

1 cup or more to taste of apple juice or cider

1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) and a few grinds of pepper as well

8 ounces of creme fraiche for garnish (or greek yoghurt) well blended

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

To prepare the squash, trim about a 1/2 inch off the stem end. Carefully slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds then place the halves flat side down and bake for about 40 minutes, until the squash can be pierced with a fork.

Let it cool. Scoop out the orange flesh and reserve.  

In a soup pot over a medium flame heat the butter and vegetable oil then add the chopped onions. Stir often and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and then the garlic and continue to stir a minute or two without browning the garlic. Add the curry powder and cumin powder and stir until they begin to release their aromas, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Fold in the squash, stir and then cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes so the flavors can marry.

Take it off the heat and use an immersion blender right in the pot to transform it into a velvety soup or use a blender and blend in batches. Return to the heat for another few minutes to keep warm and heat through.

To serve, ladle into individual bowls and garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche, yoghurt or sour cream. To have some fun, spoon the creme fraiche into a small ziplock bag, twist it to form a makeshift pastry bag, then make a teeny snip in one of the corners. Create circles then use a tooth pick from the center circle and connect the circles by spindles to make a design.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Susan Silverberg spends her days at the Los Angeles Times food section test kitchen testing recipes for readers. She is completing her culinary arts degree at Los Angeles Trade Tech, serves as an editorial consultant on multiple cookbooks, has appeared on national television as a home arts expert, and is currently teaching cooking classes through the Beverly Hills Dept. of Parks and Recreation.

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