Thanksgiving: a Time for Family and Friends!
Every year I have the pleasure of spending my Thanksgiving with family and friends, one of which is an extraordinary cook! Every year he looks forward to surprising us with is exquisite menu and watching us devour his wonderful dishes!
We love the surprise feast he delicately plans out each Thanksgiving, but we all seem to request one dish in particular! His Two Squash Soup that is truly to die for! Try it, and I bet you’ll love it as much as we all do!
Because this soup really is an amazing dish, I wanted to share the recipe with you all!
Two Squash Soup
Ingredients:
2 squash, one acorn and one butternut, about 4 pounds (total).
1/4 cup of butter, plus 4 pats (or teaspoons)
4 tablespoons of molasses
1 1⁄2 cups of dry white wine
1 1⁄2 cup of chopped sweet onion
5 – 6 cups of chicken broth
zest from one lime
juice from one lime
1 cup of thick cream
1/4 – 1⁄2 teaspoon of pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of salt, to taste
Garnish:
1⁄2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
Stems of two green onions, finely chopped
3 thin slices of lime, cut in half
6 tablespoons of sour cream
fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove the seeds but retain the center pulp. Insure that there is a depression in the center of each squash. Put a pat of butter and a tablespoon of molasses (or dark cane syrup) into the scooped out center depression of each squash half. Lightly salt and pepper.
Place squash halves, cut side up, into a baking dish or pan, and add water to about 1⁄2 inch in bottom of pan.
Bake squash at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until tender. When the squash is tender,
carefully remove the pan of squash from the oven, being careful to save any liquid in the center
of each squash. Set aside to cool.
When the squash have cooled to the point that they are comfortable to handle, carefully remove each squash half from the pan and pour any liquid from the center of the squash into a large bowl. Then scoop out the pulp from each squash half and cut away the skins. Chop the pulp and add to the bowl with the liquid from the center of each squash. (Acorn squash skins are bitter and must be completely removed.) Discard the skins.
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the onion and lightly salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until tender. Add the chicken broth, wine and pulp. Bring to a boil and simmer ten to fifteen minutes to insure that the pulp and onion are tender. Add the lime zest and juice.
If using an immersion blender, use it to blend the soup until smooth while hot and in the Dutch
oven. If using an electric blender, allow the soup to cool until warm. Then process the soup in batches based on the size of the blender.
When the soup is blended smooth, return to the Dutch oven and add the cool cream. Cook the soup over low heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated. Taste and adjust seasonings. The soup should be creamy and thick. If too thick, add additional chicken broth (or wine).
Ladle hot soup into heated soup bowls. Float one tablespoon of sour cream in the center of each bowl and stand one of the lime slice halves in the sour cream. Sprinkle the soup with finely chopped green onion and red bell pepper. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.
Serves six to eight. Enjoy!
Reflect on Today and Cherish Those you Love!
I wish you all the happiness that Thanksgiving brings. Remember to be grateful for all you have and for those friends and family that you hold dear!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Dr. Rhea Haugseth