Butternut Squash Apple Soup

When it comes to sharing recipes here, there are certain criteria that must be met.  Firstly, it must taste great.  Secondly, I need to have made it with great success at least two times, most often more.  Thirdly, it needs to be something worth talking about.  Maybe it's a technique that is new to me or using an ingredient that is less common.  Perhaps it's ridiculously good for you and still tastes decadent.  It could be my kids were over the moon about it, making it family friendly without being mainstream.  If we knew eachother in person, these are the recipes I would need to stop you and tell in great detail why you need to make it.

 

All this to say, I find the thought of sharing a butternut squash soup recipe to be pretty boring.  I've been making it for years and I bet you have too.  There are countless variations available and I never felt it necessary to add to the list; until today.  I've given a jar of this soup to many friends as a gift over the years.  Many have asked for the recipe and I've happily obliged.  Which got me thinking, if my friends want this recipe, than why wouldn't I share it here too?  There is a secret ingredient that I think takes it from ordinary to extraordinary, which somehow in my bizarre logic makes it fit the criteria above.



What is this magic put into the soup?  Why it's white wine of course!  You'll never guess it's in there but without it the soup is only ok.  When we have guests for supper if there is white wine leftover I will promptly decant it into a mason jar and throw it in the fridge.  Don rolls his eyes at the odds and ends found in mason jars in our fridge but yet never complains about the tasty creations they become.  You could buy some white wine just for this soup and I have done that too.  The small sample sizes of wine at the checkout counter work well if you truly won't be drinking the rest of the bottle.



Butternut Squash Apple Cider Soup

1 butternut squash

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion

1 Tbsp red curry paste

1/2 cup white wine

1 tsp salt

3 cups water

1 cup apple cider

1 cup chopped apples

Preheat oven to 375degrees.  Slice squash in half and remove seeds.  Bake on pan in oven for 30-45min until softened.  Remove and allow to cool.  Scoop flesh from skin and reserve.

In a large pot on medium high heat add olive oil and onion.  Saute until softened, about 10 min, stirring often.  Add curry paste to onion and stir for about 1 min.  Add white wine and cook another 5 min, until liquid is almost evaporated.  Add salt, water apples and apple cider.  Reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 min.  Remove from heat and puree with immersion blender or in batches in your blender.  Season with salt and pepper.