Recently I’ve checked my website statistics (the traffic has skyrocketed by the way) and saw a new site linking to me. Curious as always I went to investigate. Nicole from For the Love of Food decided to make my Chicken Calvados and it was a great success which really delighted me. After reading her site for a while I noticed she has a monthly contest, called Taste & Create. The idea is to cook another blogger’s recipe and give feedback. Nicole will then do a monthly roundup of the results.
So, this month I’ve been paired up with Sara from Whisks and Needles. As the blog’s name suggests, she’s an avid knitter as well; you should really see all the complex stuff she’s done! I like knitting but even my most basic scarves come out crooked, so I can only stare at her creations in awe. Another interesting item on her site is Thankful Thursdays; here’s one. This is a very thoughtful thing to do. If we just stop for a moment in our busy lives to count our blessings, we’ll be much happier.
After perusing all her recipes there was one I especially found irresistible; the Curried Winter Squash Soup with Sweet Spices. I wasn’t disappointed. The sweet, tangy and spicy notes all formed a fantastic symphony in my mouth. This is what soul food is all about.
I thoroughly enjoyed this blog event and can’t wait participate in December’s Taste & Create to prepare another talented food blogger’s recipe.
Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Preparation: 15 mins – Cooking: 1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 30ml (2 tbsp) butter
- 5ml (1 tsp) curry powder
- 2 medium apples, cored, peeled and chopped
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) dried thyme
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) dried sage
- 1L (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt, or to taste
- 125ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- white pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C (fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4).
- Cut the squash in half, brush the flesh with olive oil and place cut-side-down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until tender. When the squash is cooked, remove it to cool. Scoop out the seeds, peel the butternut and chop into big chunks.
- Melt the butter in a big saucepan. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned. Add curry powder and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the apple, butternut, thyme, sage, salt and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Using a hand blender, purée the soup until smooth. If you don’t have a hand blender, wait for the soup to cool a bit then transfer it to a blender and purée it in batches. Return the soup to the pot.
- Slowly reheat the soup, add the cream, stir well and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion
- This soup is really good served with whole-wheat pita wedges for dipping.
Notes
- Those who are lactose intolerant or can simply omit the cream to enjoy this healthy meal. Vegans can use a cream substitute.
Love the soup. I can just tast the creaminess. Delicious
We really fell in Love with this Soup and will cook it this Christmas in germany for the family!!!
The Kids really love the sweet creamy taste and the twist of the spices.
I’ve just made this – I omitted the cream and herbs, and added garlic and ginger. It was very tasty, I loved how the tang of the apple lifts the sweetness of the squash.
How healthy of you! I used the cream to tone down the sharp tang of the apple but if you prefer it without, all the better. Thanks for getting back to me.
I’ve been making a lot of butternut squash soup this fall, and this is without a doubt the best recipe I’ve come across! Ab-so-lute-ly delicious!