Recipe

Butternut-Apple Soup with Maple Cream

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Recipe
2 Questions

Photo by Oui, Chef

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Butternut Squash
A&M's Testing Notes: I can’t think of a more pleasurable way to spend a chilly autumn afternoon than making Oui, Chef’s soup. Leeks, carrots, celery, and butternut squash are bathed in butter, then a splash of...
I can’t think of a more pleasurable way to spend a chilly autumn afternoon than making Oui, Chef’s soup. Leeks, carrots, celery, and butternut squash are bathed in butter, then a splash of apple cider and some tart diced apples produced the most heavenly aromas in my kitchen. The finished soup was delicious—fresh and light, with a lovely marriage of apples and butternut squash flavors. The maple cream adds a sweet, rich touch. Only thing I added was a pinch of salt, since my homemade broth was unsalted. So yummy—this dish will definitely go into my fall kitchen rotation! –cookinginvictoria

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Chef
Oui, Chef's Notes: This is a favorite recipe that I have cooked for years. Each Fall when butternut squash are abundant, I make a huge batch of this soup and freeze about a half-dozen gallon sized ziploks of...
This is a favorite recipe that I have cooked for years. Each Fall when butternut squash are abundant, I make a huge batch of this soup and freeze about a half-dozen gallon sized ziploks of the stuff to get us through the Winter. The recipe calls for a little cream which can certainly be eliminated if you are trying to watch such things. When I make this, I do not add the cream prior to freezing, but will swirl a bit into the soup after it has thawed and been reheated. This allows me to serve some without if someone requests it that way. The drizzle of maple cream on top at service is a delicious touch, one I recommend you NOT skip unless you really must. - Oui, Chef

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Serves 6-8

2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Ask a question about this ingredient

2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 carrots, peeled and chopped Ask a question about this ingredient

2 ribs celery, peeled and chopped Ask a question about this ingredient

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient

5 tablespoons butter Ask a question about this ingredient

2 teaspoons dried thyme Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 teaspoon dried sage Ask a question about this ingredient

5 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup apple cider Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional) Ask a question about this ingredient

2/3 cups sour cream Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup maple syrup Ask a question about this ingredient

snipped fresh chives Ask a question about this ingredient

Melt the butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme, sage, stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes before proceeding.
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Working in batches, purée soup in blender, then pass through a fine meshed sieve into a clean pan, to remove any lumps.
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Place sour cream in small bowl and whisk in maple syrup, reserve. (Soup and maple cream can be made 1 day ahead, cover separately and refrigerate).
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Bring soup back to simmer. Mix in whipping cream (if using). Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with maple cream. Top with chives.
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3 Comments on Butternut-Apple Soup with Maple Cream

Pamplemousse added 7 months ago

I made this last night for dinner, and it is EXCELLENT! I made some Irish soda bread with oats and raisins in it, which went perfectly. I put a bit more sage, but that's just because I love sage, and didn't have celery, but no big deal. Well done- I will definitely be putting this into my regular rotation for fall and winter. Thanks!

Oui, Chef added 7 months ago

So glad you like it, thanks for letting me know.

SuzChef added about 1 year ago

I made this tonight (getting ready for Thanksgiving), and I found (to my delight) that there was so much soup, we were able to have it for dinner. I'm still swooning! Thanks so much for the recipe... this is definitely a keeper!