Curried Squash Soup

This recipe, adapted from Jane Brody’s Good Food Gourmet cookbook, is a staple autumn soup in our household. The recipe makes a lot of soup (6 to 8 servings) so feel free to freeze it in a plastic container! We like to serve it with either our Rustic Country or Ciabatta.

2 pounds butternut squash (1 large squash) 1 Tbs. butter 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 large sweet apple, peeled, cored, and chopped Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 cups chicken broth (if using canned, opt for low-sodium) 1 bay leaf 1 cup buttermilk 2 tsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F, and bake the squash for 30 minutes or until it is tender.

2. While the squash is baking, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, and add the onion, celery, apple, salt, and pepper. Cover the pan, and cook the mixture for 5 minutes over moderately low heat, stirring the ingredients occasionally.

3. Add the curry powder, broth, and bay leaf, raise the heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

4. When the squash is cool enough to handle, discard the seeds, peel it, and cut its flesh into chunks.

5. In batches in a blender or food processor, puree the broth mixture with the squash. Return the soup to the saucepan, and add the buttermilk and lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings, and heat the soup through but do not boil it.

a