By Jeannette Ordas of
Everybody likes Sandwiches
A
few years ago, I looked forward to fall and squash and making soup. But
I think I suffered from squash soup overload. The truth is, I haven't
touched the stuff in a couple years. So I'm not sure what made me whip
together this totally kick-butt soup for lunch, but I'm glad the urge
took.
As
you can see, I used frozen butternut squash. I took the easy road and
I'm okay with that. Sometimes, you need a shortcut and there should be
no shame in that.
Instead
of using more traditional flavourings like sage or curry, I went for a
bold Southwestern take on things. Smokey chipotle powder, Mexican chili
powder and the fresh bite of jalepeno pepper play nice with the
sweetness found in the apples and squash and make this soup a true
winner. There's no need to add in maple syrup or honey because the
apples give off so much natural sweetness. But don't be afraid that this
is one of those overly-sweet soups, because it's not. This soup has
depth - it's sweet, spicy, earthy and smokey all in one awesome
spoonful.
I
loved this soup so much that went back for seconds and ate it cold (as
it had been sitting out on our kitchen counter while I ate my first
bowl). And you know what, it was still unbelievably delicious – probably
even more so thanks to all that flavour-mingling going on.
Smokey Southwestern Apple and Squash Soup
If
you want to keep this soup vegan, use vegetable oil instead of butter
and skip the sour cream or use your favorite vegan version.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup diced onion (about 1/4 of a large onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced
2 apples, cored, peeled and diced (I used Granny Smith)
2 cups butternut squash, diced (frozen is fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
1/4 rounded teaspoon chipotle powder
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
a few shots of your favorite hot sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons sour cream (low fat is fine)
Melt
butter in a medium-large soup pot and add in the onions, garlic and
jalapeno pepper. Saute over medium-high heat until soft and fragrant.
Add in the apples, squash, salt, chili powder and chipotle powder. Stir
and let everything reduce for a bit and get mushy, 10 minutes should be
plenty, stirring occasionally.
Pour in stock making
sure that everything is just covered. Put on lid and simmer over low
heat for 20-30 minutes until the squash and apples are very soft. Use a
hand blender to puree until everything is very smooth. Taste and add in
some hot sauce if you want (I want!). Whisk in the sour cream until
smooth. Top each bowl with additional sour cream, if desired. Makes 4
small servings or 2 giant ones.
