Cream of Butternut Squash Soup with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Overview
The butternut squash-Bella Sun Luci sun dried tomatoes combination has been a favorite of mine for decades. I do a butternut mash that I flavor with sun dried tomatoes, lots of fresh herbs and then serve on whole wheat toasts. Always a hit with the in crowd. The recipe for this soup is a simple and professional variation. The cream really smoothes out and marries the flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ - 2½ cups precooked butternut squash (see directions)
- 1 med - lg carrot, peeled, small dice
- 1 sm - med yellow onion, small dice
- 1 med - lg garlic clove, root end removed, minced
- 1 - 2 tbsp Bella Sun Luci sun dried tomatoes, julienne, ready to eat
- 2 tbsp Bella Sun Luci extra virgin olive oil
- ½ - ¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2-3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
- 1½ - 2¼ level tsp brown sugar
- Optional/recommended: Parchment paper for roasting the squash
Serves 5
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cut the top and bottom off a small butternut squash so the orange is fully showing on each end. Discard the ends. Cut the squash in half long ways.
- With a thin soup spoon, scrape out the seeds and membrane and throw away.
- Drizzle 1 Tbs olive oil over squash and then sprinkle the brown sugar and some salt and pepper on the top and bottom of the squash.
- Place on a (parchment lined) heavy sheet pan face down and roast on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
- Turn over and roast an additional 15-30 more minutes, or until very soft.
- Remove from oven and let cool, until cool enough temperature to peel. Discard the peel and measure the amount of squash you need. Set aside.
- While the squash is roasting, heat the stock to a simmer on a back burner.
- Put a heavy bottom soup pot (2-3 qt size or bigger) on a front burner, on a high flame.
- Add the other Tbs olive oil, heat then add the onion. Sauté 4-6 minutes, stirring often, until golden.
- Add the carrots and celery, turn to med-high and sauté/stir for 5 more minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt and pepper, turn to low and sauté 5-10 more minutes, or until soft, stirring often. Add the cream, turn to medium, bring to a simmer; next turn to low, simmer, 5 minutes. Add the stock, turn to high, bring to a simmer. Add the squash and stir.
- Hold the sun dried tomatoes and your soup cups separately in a warm place.
- Carefully, in small (1-2 cup) batches, puree the soup.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, and garnish with the sun dried tomatoes.
- Note: if the soup is thin, add a few Tbs of squash to some of the soup and re-puree, but don't let it get too thick. The leftover roasted squash can be used on crostini, in pasta, etc.
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