Velvety Butternut Squash Soup

I love the crisp, cold air of fall. Most of the time we only experience that at night here in California, but nevertheless it is a distinct change from the perpetual heat of summer. I begin to crave soup as soon as the weather changes, and I made this recipe, which makes a delicious and comforting bowl of soup, over the weekend.

Some tips: don’t cook the squash before cutting it up as the squash’s flavor is more robust this way. Simply peel it with a vegetable peeler, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds, and cut it into chunks. If you have fresh pumpkin puree leftover this season you can add it to intensify the squash flavor. Be sure to use a high-quality unsalted butter for a rich finish. If you are not a big nutmeg fan, reduce the quantity but don't omit it entirely. I usually serve this with homemade whole-wheat bread and butter for a really simple, homey meal.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium organic apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
3 TBS. unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
4 cups low-sodium organic chicken stock (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins:
1 cup homemade pumpkin puree
1 TBS chopped fresh ginger
1 carrot, cut into chunks
Fresh parsley, chopped, or dry parsley flakes for garnish

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not let the butter or the onions brown. Add the squash, apples, any optional vegetables, brown sugar, and the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender. Remove the squash and apple chunks with a slotted spoon and place in a food processor to puree, or pour the entire contents of the pot into a blender and puree. Return the blended mixture to the pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve!

I adapted this recipe from an existing Food Network recipe. If you like squash, I think you'll definitely like this soup. If you try it, let me know!