Acorn Squash Soup
Today I went to Larriland Farms and bought acorn squash, butternut squash, pumpkins, broccoli, apples, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cider. Phew! I have a lot of work ahead of me.
Tonight I’m making Acorn Squash Soup (and sipping some Hot Mulled Cider with rum while cooking). This soup is healthy, rich, with just the right amount of sweetness. A delicious, comforting fall soup.
Adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooks by Scott Uehlein
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup half and half
Preheat oven to 450. Lightly coat a shallow baking pan with olive oil. Arrange squash in baking pan, cut side down, with 1 cup of water. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft. Remove from pan and spoon out the pulp. Transfer pulp to a blender and puree until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the remaining vegetables, and cook over medium-low heat until they begin to soften. Add the stock, squash puree, cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and half and half and then simmer, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to smooth, or serve with the yummy bits. Add salt if needed.
(If you want to make this vegan, simply swap out the chicken stock for vegetable and the half and half for soy milk)
Never tried maple syrup in a soup, sounds divine!
Fall is definitely here…as evidenced by all of us culinary bloggers drooling over squash. Literally!
Have you ever tried cooking, pureeing & canning winter squash? I have lots from the garden & I’m thinking about putting it up for quick use down the road.
That’s a great idea! I just got a pressure cooker and have been trying to come up with healthy ways to use it. I have a bad habit of eating fresh jam with a spoon :}
Hi Savoury – oops I mean Savory!
Thanks for your comment over on my blog, I’m really chuffed that you liked my photos enough to ask to borrow it. Of course you may and I’d really appreciate the link too.
When I started the blog a few months back I found it really hard to get the pics right, the food always looked AWFUL. I have a little trick of bringing my finished plate of food over to a bright window and taking the pic there!
It means you may never have a plate of really hot food again but if you’re worried about pics – natual light is best for food.
Good luck!
I do know about the natural lighting but I keep running into 2 problems at the moment: most of my cooking is done on weeknights and I keep neglecting to buy some simple, cute serving bowls that will photograph well. The ones I have right now are patterned. I do have a decent camera, though! My first attempts have been really rough. I’ll get around to making a real effort; I keep procrastinating but I know it can’t be that difficult.
Thanks so much! I’ll let you know when I post it!
Hi Savory – taking food photos isn’t as easy as it looks. I have found one or two good spots in my apartment where the light is good, and just keep taking my pictures there. Not a lot of variety, but nothing I can really do. Still, the problem I keep having is standing in my light and getting weird shadows.
Also, in case you haven’t discovered it yet, the “macro” feature (which is on most digital cameras) is wonderful for food. It allows you to get very close. (Usually this setting is indicated by a flower icon).
Yeah, all of my kitchen photography attempts have failed so far. The only time I had some decent luck was on vacation in Japan. Gorgeous food that did most of the work for me. I just kept snapping on every setting of my camera until the shots happened! I need to recreate that magic at home. Just need some better dishware and artistry, I think.
This soup looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it now that fall is officially here.
Must make this soup this weekend, thank you so much for sharing! I’m in love with everything I’ve seen here.