This is a recipe that’s been locked up in the vault for a while. I’m not sure why it was never posted, something about not perfect pictures, probably, but I’m glad it’s here now. I am a huge fan of squash season, and making soups out of these luscious gourds is one of my favourite things to do with them. There’s just something about squash that screams purée! It could be my history of making baby food for the wee one, what with all the squash and fruits I mashed up for his cute little tummy. But this soup is far from baby food. It is a much more sophisticated take on the same basic principle though. You take a squash, you roast it, you mash it up, add some flavour and voila!

I’d love to go on and on about how this soup embodies autumn in all it’s lovely, crisp weather glory, but I think I’ve done that a few times here in the past month or two. Instead I will just be clean and precise. This soup will take you less than 30 minutes to make (once the squash is roasted) so it is a fabulous meal for those nights when you have no time for cooking, but crave a home cooked, quality meal. Served with a side salad or a even just a crusty bun, this soup is savoury and satisfying with notes of sweet apples. Make it the next time you feel like cozying up to a loved one instead of slaving away over the stove all night.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 small apples (like granny smith) peeled and cored, roughly cubed
1 Tbsp oil or butter
1 large butternut squash
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup beer (dark)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp sage
s & p

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Rub oil on cut side and roast cut side up for 45-60 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and scoop out flesh.

2. In large saucepan, sauté onion, apples** and celery in butter or oil until softened. Add squash and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze with beer and apple juice.
3. Add chicken stock and other seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Purée in blender in small batches. Return to pot to reheat if necessary.
5. Serve with a swirl of cream.

** Alternatively, as a friend suggested, you can roast the apples inside the squash in the oven for extra roasted flavour.

Served with a swirl of buttermilk, creme fraiche, or sour cream, this soup delivers in the taste department. Don’t be shy with the seasonings either, the flavour of the squash can stand up to a lot.