September 17, 2020

Ingredients

• 6 cups roasted butternut squash (2 large butternut squash)
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 finely chopped jalapeño (optional)
• 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 6 – 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 peeled, cored and grated apples or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar  
• 1 sprig thyme
• ¼ cup maple syrup or 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon of salt (see instructions below)
• ½ teaspoon white pepper or to taste
• Créme Fraîche and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, for topping

 Roast Squash

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy flesh with spoon. Place squash cut-side down on a baking sheet to roast. Note: lay squash perfectly flat to achieve caramelization for optimal flavor. If squash won’t lay flat, use two baking sheets if necessary, and rotate their position in the oven halfway through roasting. Roast squash for 60 -70 minutes, or until very soft when pressed.
2. Remove squash from oven and, using a spatula, flip the squash halves over and allow to cool a few minutes. Scoop all the roasted squash flesh into a bowl, being careful not to take any of the skin. Discard squash skins.

Prepare Soup

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and finely chopped jalapeño. Cook until soft but not until browned.
2. Add potatoes, thyme, and enough chicken broth to cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, until soft.
3. Add roasted squash, chicken broth, and grated apple. Stir to combine well. Add the fresh thyme sprig. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes to meld flavors.
4. Remove thyme sprig. Using an immersion blender (or alternately in small batches in a blender) purée the soup well until smooth. In the soup pot, add the maple syrup. Stir well to combine and allow to cook over medium-low heat a few minutes to warm through.
5. Taste soup. Add salt as needed and some freshly ground pepper. Salting well is the key to bringing out all the great flavors in this soup. Maple syrups vary in intensity. If you don’t notice a subtle maple taste in the soup, add a bit more maple syrup, as needed.

Special Notes

• Feel free to make this soup ahead and refrigerate for several days. Rewarm on the stove-top over low heat. If soup has thickened, thin with a bit of additional chicken broth.
• The addition of a bit of grated apple to the soup is optional, so don’t worry if you don’t have an apple on hand. It does add a lovely depth of flavor to the soup.
• The most important tip for making this soup is to taste and then adjust the seasoning as necessary. As with all soups, the saltiness of the stock used will vary and impact the amount of salt needed.

Créme Fraîche

• 1 pint heavy cream (that has not been ultra-pasteurized)
• ¼ cup buttermilk

Mix together thoroughly in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 24 hours. You may stir again after several hours.