How could you not love autumn? For me, the change in the abundance of items filling my bag at the produce market is exciting enough, and squash (acorn, butternut, pumpkin, etc.) is the primary reason for my glee. Since it has started to get just slightly more chill here in Chicago, last Sunday I was dying to fix one of my fall/winter staples - soup! A creamy, hearty and spicy butternut squash soup seemed most appropriate... to me.
You see - my husband is an oddity. He doesn't appreciate or enjoy in the least the combination of sweet and savory. In fact, he hardly likes sweet anything, let alone paired with other things. I discovered this fact one sad day years back, when I took him to eat at one of our favorite Italian establishment on the far north side - La Donna. La Donna holds a special place in my heart, as well as many others I know, for their pumpkin ravioli in balsamic cream sauce. I mean, I can't think about it without pausing to imagine the soft, pillowy pasta stuffed with perfectly creamy pumpkin puree, smothered in that tangy but rich vinegar sauce. It's pure bliss, I tell you.
Anyway, Josh wasn't buying it. When I described it to him, he turned his nose up in disgust and promptly ordered the Veal Saltimbocca. When I proffered him a bite, he very reluctantly took a small nibble off my fork before proclaiming my beloved dish "sugary and nasty". Crushed, I saw my future in the moment: who would share the other half of my baked acorn squash with me? Who would enjoy my labored effort at pumpkin pie?! Who would partake in my favorite of all time soups, butternut squash?!
Thus, the years have passed, and I have spent very little time concocting anything remotely gourd-like for us to eat. However, last Sunday, I couldn't help myself. I had to have it. I was going to make him try it, whether he wanted it or not. So, I picked up a gigantic, glorious specimen at the market, brought it home, chopped it up to simmer in some broth with onions and curry and sage, pureed it thoroughly, and served it up. Totally happy, I just ignored Josh's slow, small slurps (I think he managed to swallow around 5 bites before I told him I'd rather just have the leftovers myself for the next day - which were even better than the first serving, I must say!). So, if you're someone who enjoys the dichotomy of sweet and savory, and the very simple but completely satisfying taste of butternut squash, this soup is for you. Just ignore the haters like Josh.
Curried Sage Butternut Squash Soup (makes 4 servings - doubles easily)
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 in. cubes
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 C. yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2.5 C. chicken broth
1 T. curry powder
3 T. chopped fresh sage
salt and pepper
In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, approx. 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the curry, cook 2 min.
Add the squash, sage, salt and pepper to taste and stir to coat. Add the stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, until squash is very tender.
Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return to the pan and heat through, adjusting seasoning if nescessary.
Serve and enjoy! (Again, it's even better the second day!)
You see - my husband is an oddity. He doesn't appreciate or enjoy in the least the combination of sweet and savory. In fact, he hardly likes sweet anything, let alone paired with other things. I discovered this fact one sad day years back, when I took him to eat at one of our favorite Italian establishment on the far north side - La Donna. La Donna holds a special place in my heart, as well as many others I know, for their pumpkin ravioli in balsamic cream sauce. I mean, I can't think about it without pausing to imagine the soft, pillowy pasta stuffed with perfectly creamy pumpkin puree, smothered in that tangy but rich vinegar sauce. It's pure bliss, I tell you.
Anyway, Josh wasn't buying it. When I described it to him, he turned his nose up in disgust and promptly ordered the Veal Saltimbocca. When I proffered him a bite, he very reluctantly took a small nibble off my fork before proclaiming my beloved dish "sugary and nasty". Crushed, I saw my future in the moment: who would share the other half of my baked acorn squash with me? Who would enjoy my labored effort at pumpkin pie?! Who would partake in my favorite of all time soups, butternut squash?!
Thus, the years have passed, and I have spent very little time concocting anything remotely gourd-like for us to eat. However, last Sunday, I couldn't help myself. I had to have it. I was going to make him try it, whether he wanted it or not. So, I picked up a gigantic, glorious specimen at the market, brought it home, chopped it up to simmer in some broth with onions and curry and sage, pureed it thoroughly, and served it up. Totally happy, I just ignored Josh's slow, small slurps (I think he managed to swallow around 5 bites before I told him I'd rather just have the leftovers myself for the next day - which were even better than the first serving, I must say!). So, if you're someone who enjoys the dichotomy of sweet and savory, and the very simple but completely satisfying taste of butternut squash, this soup is for you. Just ignore the haters like Josh.
Curried Sage Butternut Squash Soup (makes 4 servings - doubles easily)
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 in. cubes
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 C. yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2.5 C. chicken broth
1 T. curry powder
3 T. chopped fresh sage
salt and pepper
In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, approx. 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the curry, cook 2 min.
Add the squash, sage, salt and pepper to taste and stir to coat. Add the stock, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, until squash is very tender.
Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return to the pan and heat through, adjusting seasoning if nescessary.
Serve and enjoy! (Again, it's even better the second day!)
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