Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

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This is a recipe I have made a few times.  It makes the house smell like Thanksgiving!  Although lately I can’t seem to recreate the soup I made the first time.  I don’t know what I did differently about the recipe.  I have a feeling it has to do with the quality of the chicken stock.  I bought a brand here in New York that looked like water when I poured it out of the box!  I also think I added extra thyme and sage the first time since I love those flavors in the soup.  Anyway, this is how I made it.

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Chop up all the vegetables, although buying the butternut squash makes it a lot easier!

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Add the stock, cider, apple and thyme and sage.

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Simmer a little longer and puree with a stick blender.  I didn’t add the cream this time.  It tastes good with the cream but wanted to go more healthy this time.

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The cider cream is sour cream with reduced apple cider stirred in.

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I served this to Henry and he had made some cream cheese wontons that day to go with it.  He said the soup was too sweet.  I agreed.  It was lacking in flavor so I need to remember to add a much richer saltier stock for the soup and amp up the thyme and sage.  Normally I put chives on top but only had green onions today. The chives are better and actually make a difference.

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Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
  • 2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
  • 1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
  • 5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • Chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.