Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
This delicious and easy soup combines the season’s most delicious produce into a satisfying and unique soup. Serve it as a first course for a Thanksgiving dinner or as a weeknight meal with a salad and hunk of crusty bread. Serves 6.
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped leeks
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 heaping tablespoon mild curry powder
1 large butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds) peeled, de seeded and cut into chunks
2 apples (¾ – 1 pound) such as Macintosh or any other sweet/tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 ¼ cup low sodium chicken stock
1 cup fresh apple cider
¼ cup heavy cream or half and half (optional)
In a heavy bottomed medium pan heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add ginger and sauté until light brown and fragrant. Immediately add onions, leeks and thyme and sauté until onions become tender and brown at the edges. Add curry powder and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Next add squash, apples and ¾ cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until squash is tender. Carefully transfer squash and apple mixture into the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add 1/2 cup chicken stock and 1 cup cider. Bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper and add cream. If mixture is still too thick you can add more stock. Serve hot.
