Serves 8 Butternut Squash Soup with Minced Bacon
Serves 8
Most recipes for butternut squash soup cook the squash right in the pot with the liquid. I find that the easy, extra step of roasting the squash beforehand removes more moisture, concentrating the vegetable’s sweet autumn flavor. It also infuses the soup with smokiness thanks to the bacon that’s laid atop the squash. (If you simply can’t resist eating the bacon, feel free to snack on one of the pieces after it comes out of the oven. You’ll still have enough to garnish the soup.) Stirring in cream or butter at the end is optional, but it makes a big difference, enriching the soup and pulling all of the ingredients together as smoothly as possible.
Because this soup is basically a squash puree thinned with broth, it’s a good recipe to try with other squashes available at the market. Acorn works well, as does Hubbard, which is often overlooked for roasting and soups.
You can replace the minced bacon with a topping of Frizzled Leeks; either omit the bacon entirely, or roast the squash with the bacon, then devour the bacon as you make the soup.
6 pounds butternut squash
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 slices double-smoked bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into small dice
3 thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves for serving
1 bay leaf
11/2 quarts store-bought, reduced-sodium chicken broth or homemade Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons heavy cream or unsalted butter, optional
Sugar, if needed
Extra-virgin olive oil
2. Cut the butternut squashes in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Divide the butter among the hollowed-out seed cavities and generously season the squash with salt and pepper. Lay 1 to 2 strips of bacon lengthwise along the surface of each half. Roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a thin-bladed, sharp knife pierces them easily.
3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool, mince or crumble into small bits and set aside. Once the squash have cooled slightly, scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon. Reserve the flesh and discard the skins.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and then add the squash. Cook, stirring to integrate the flavors and keep the squash from scorching, for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the broth to the pot, stirring to incorporate, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
6. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to fish out and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer the soup to a food processor. (This is one case where I do not recommend an immersion blender because the sheer volume of squash is more easily handled with a processor. If you’d like to use a regular blender, work in batches, and follow the safety tips.) Add the cream, if using, and process for several minutes until uniformly thick and creamy, but be careful to not turn this voluptuous beauty into a thin soup by overblending! If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month.
7. Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat it. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar if necessary.
8. To serve, ladle some soup into each of 8 bowls and scatter some of the minced bacon over the surface. Top with thyme leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve at once.
Squash Puree
Squash puree is a colorful, autumn alternative to mashed potatoes and makes a fine companion to Chicken Braised with Mushrooms or Duck with Dried Fruits. For enough puree to serve 8 as a side dish, omit the broth, and add 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter to the puree as it’s blended in the food processor in Step 6. You can season the puree with a few pinches or dashes of light brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg, according to your own taste.