A recipe from the Ehlers’ Kitchen and SturgeonBay.net
Not only did my parents host our wedding reception in their backyard – my Dad made this special Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe for our wedding guests. This recipe serves six… so if you are looking to feed a large crowd you may need to double or triple the recipe!
With the hearty squash and sweet & spicy flavors, this soup is perfect for an autumn day. Topped with creamy mascarpone cheese, fresh sage and roasty toasted pumpkin seeds, this is the flavor of fall in a bowl. The recipe is near and dear to my heart and always reminds me of our October Wedding.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced carrot
Cinnamon stick
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
½ tsp ground toasted coriander
2 cups roasted butternut squash (recipe follows)
Directions:
Saute onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil in large saucepan with cinnamon stick until vegetables are soft but not yet brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add stock and coriander and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in squash and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Puree mixture leaving a little texture. Add more squash if too thin or more stock if too thick.
Garnish with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, chiffonade fresh sage and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves six.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tbsp sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup molasses
2 tsp Toasted Spice Rub
- ¼ cup fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 1 ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup chili powder,
- 2 tbsp kosher salt,
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Toast fennel seeds and peppercorns in small, heavy pan over medium heat. When fennel turns slightly brown, work quickly and add red pepper flakes for a quick 15 seconds. Immediately turn that out of pan onto plate to cool. When cool, use a food processor to grind mixture with chili powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Directions:
Peel and seed squash. Cube squash. Place on aluminum foil lined baking sheet pan with sides. Salt and pepper. Heat butter in pan until it ceases foaming and turns lightly brown. Pull pan from heat. Add sage, sugar, vinegar, molasses, and toasted spice rub. Mix well and return to heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour that over squash, toss well and bake in 400 degree over for 30-45 minutes until squash is tender. When slightly cooled, process squash and any juices in food processor until smooth.