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This month’s Guest Test Kitchen comes from our new friend, Ellen. We’re so grateful for Ellen. Whether it’s a biology lab party at her university or a mini get-together with friends, she always makes a dish from our blog, and each time she excitedly shares the experience with us. It’s awesome to have a friend who is also a genuine fan, and loves to play with our recipes. Ellen, like the rest of us, loves all things food. We’re happy to share some of hers with you. Take it away!
I recently joined an awesome CSA (Garden of Eden Organics). Now I have a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables to cook with each week. It has definitely been a fun challenge to find new recipes that incorporate all the food so they don’t go to waste. For the past two weeks there were butternut squash in our share, so I figured I would try to make a soup. Plus, one of the kitchen toys I received for Christmas was a hand blender which I had yet to put to any use. Lucky for me, I come from a family of “foodies”, so I just emailed my mom for a butternut squash recipe. She sent me two recipes; one that that she had seen on America’s Test Kitchen and another recipe that she uses, so I just sort of combined the two.
Since I had two squash, I doubled the recipe which ended up making about eight servings, but the recipe can very easily can be scaled up or down. This was my first time making this recipe and since I don’t have a mesh sieve on hand, I had to quickly sew a pouch-of-sorts together in order to strain the shallot, seed and pulp. Lucky for me, I had some fabric on hand just for the task. Note to self: Invest in a wire sieve. The cinnamon sugar croutons definitely added a little pizazz to the dish.
Butternut Squash Soup with Cinnamon Sugar Croutons – Serves 4
Soup
1 Butternut squash, halved (save the seeds and pulp)
1/2 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and quartered
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
2 tablespoons honey (optional)
3 cups water
Salt and pepper
Croutons
2 slices white bread
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Cinnamon
Sugar
1. In a Dutch oven, sauté the chopped shallots. To that, add the seeds and pulp from the inside of the squash. Cook this for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat. (This is where all of the flavor will come from.)
2. Meanwhile, cut the squash into eight pieces. Add about the water to the Dutch oven with the seed/pulp/shallot mixture. Lay the pieces of squash flesh side down in the Dutch oven. (I used a steamer insert, but it seemed to be taking a really long time, so in the end I took most of the pieces out of the steamer and cooked them directly in the liquid.) Cover pot and let squash cook for about 30-35 minutes or until tender.
3. Remove the squash pieces from the pot and allow to cool until you can handle them. Scrape the squash flesh into a separate bowl.
4. Strain the shallot, seed and pulp through a fine mesh sieve. Purée the liquid and squash in batches in a blender. (Or if you have a sweet stick blender return the strained liquid and squash to a cleaned Dutch oven and blend.)
5. When it is all smooth and creamy, heat over low/medium heat but do not boil. Add honey and cream and warm through. Season with salt and pepper.
6. For the croutons, cube the bread. Toss with the melted butter. Toast in oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve on top of warm soup.
Click HERE for the printable recipe.
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WOW, this sounds so interesting! I have know Americans don’t normally eat pumpkin (squash) unless it is in a pie…so this sounds terrific…we roast it like potato and serve it with meat! Try that one sometime, it was my fave as a kid growing up!
WOW, this sounds so interesting! I have know Americans don’t normally eat pumpkin (squash) unless it is in a pie…so this sounds terrific…we roast it like potato and serve it with meat! Try that one sometime, it was my fave as a kid growing up!
Love the steam insert! It’s so neat to see the sharp triangular edges! This looks like a fabulous soup!
Love the steam insert! It’s so neat to see the sharp triangular edges! This looks like a fabulous soup!
The cinnamon sugar croutons take it to a whole new level.
The cinnamon sugar croutons take it to a whole new level.
Okay those croutons…brilliant addition.
Okay those croutons…brilliant addition.
Sounds great, love the cinnamon croutons, that’s a great touch.
Sounds great, love the cinnamon croutons, that’s a great touch.
That sounds wonderful. A fun course for brunch entertaining.
That sounds wonderful. A fun course for brunch entertaining.
Wow this looks fantastic! I adore butternut squash and cook it at least once every two weeks or so. I love the added apple and the croutons…great idea!
Wow this looks fantastic! I adore butternut squash and cook it at least once every two weeks or so. I love the added apple and the croutons…great idea!
Love the idea of cinnamon sugar croutons.. great idea!!
Love the idea of cinnamon sugar croutons.. great idea!!
What an interesting recipe, pumpkin soup and cinnamon croutons? Very curious how it would taste.
Chrystal, just yesterday I was thinking of you guys… thank you for stopping by
What an interesting recipe, pumpkin soup and cinnamon croutons? Very curious how it would taste.
Chrystal, just yesterday I was thinking of you guys… thank you for stopping by
I love the Cinnamon Sugar Croutons here!
I love the Cinnamon Sugar Croutons here!
you know you will have a TON of comments on those croutons. Man that sounds so good though
you know you will have a TON of comments on those croutons. Man that sounds so good though
A nice twist with those croutons, definitely!
A nice twist with those croutons, definitely!
The soup looks great but I especially love the cinnamon sugared croutons!! What a grand idea!!
MMMMMMMMMM,…lovely food!
The soup looks great but I especially love the cinnamon sugared croutons!! What a grand idea!!
MMMMMMMMMM,…lovely food!
Interesting – I never would have thought of using cinnamon sugar croutons for a savory dish, but they probably work really well here!
Interesting – I never would have thought of using cinnamon sugar croutons for a savory dish, but they probably work really well here!
What a interesting combination of butternut squash and cinnamon sugar croutons…sound wonderful!
What a interesting combination of butternut squash and cinnamon sugar croutons…sound wonderful!
Wow, the cinnamon-sugar croutons are so unexpected. But I can see how they would pair so well with this creamy, slightly sweet squash soup. What a genius idea.
Wow, the cinnamon-sugar croutons are so unexpected. But I can see how they would pair so well with this creamy, slightly sweet squash soup. What a genius idea.
Love the croutons, great idea! I make a pumpkin squash too with a hit of cinnamon but it also has chickpeas. This version sounds grand!
Love the croutons, great idea! I make a pumpkin squash too with a hit of cinnamon but it also has chickpeas. This version sounds grand!
What a wonderful soup – love the sweet twist with the apple and honey.
What a wonderful soup – love the sweet twist with the apple and honey.
Okay butternut squash soup is my favorite – but cinnamon sugar croutons?! Yum!!
Okay butternut squash soup is my favorite – but cinnamon sugar croutons?! Yum!!
a scrumptious soup! Very flavorful.
cheers,
Rosa
a scrumptious soup! Very flavorful.
cheers,
Rosa
Great looking soup. I love that you captured the steam in the photo. It’s still pretty snowy here but looking forward to it melting so I can start gardening.
Great looking soup. I love that you captured the steam in the photo. It’s still pretty snowy here but looking forward to it melting so I can start gardening.