butternut squash is pretty much one of my favourite foods of all time. i have been meaning to make butternut squash soup for almost a year now. i just can never get it to that part... this is where the whole lack of self control comes in. i always end up nibbling on the deliciously sweet and caramelized bits of roasted butternut squash.. and then.. they're all gone and there's no more for soup. every. time. people! this time though, i was committed to it and controlled my nibbling urges. that's because i just had to try out my new awesome kitchen aid immersion blender i got for christmas! even more, i added my second favourite thing in the world: chorizo. OH YEAH I DID! seems like a combo made in heaven, right? naturally sweet squash plus spicy chorizo? salivating. right. now.
because i made this at home during the holidays, chorizo was really easy to find at the thrifty foods by our house. in vancouver however, it took me over a year to find some. every time i went to safeway i would ask and never receive. this year i managed to find some at the IGA so the world is safe again. i now know where to go when i need to fill my chorizo craving.
what you need:
1 large butternut squash
3 celery stalks
1 carrot
1 onion
1 tbsp cumin (or to taste - i added lots)
1/2 cup skim milk or cream
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 chorizo (mexican or spanish works fine)
olive oil and butter for cooking
step 1:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. quarter and scoop out the seeds and icky bits from the squash. roast on a pan with olive oil for ~1 hour or until tender and a bit caramelized. add oil, butter and onion to a big pot and saute until nice and caramelized. then add the chopped carrot and celery and cook down for ~10 minutes. add the cumin.
step 2:
when squash is ready, take the skin off and add chunks into the pan. cook and stir until everything is evenly incorporated. then add the stock and bring to a boil. turn down and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
step 3:
while the soup is simmering, slice your chorizo and brown in a separate pan. let it get nice and crispy. you can also take it out of the casings and crumble it up as another option.
step 4:
take mix off the heat. blend in the pot with an immersion blender, being careful not to scratch the bottom of the pot (in this case a le cruset!). you can also blend small ladelfuls into a regular blender, being careful not to let it explode everywhere. add back to pot.
step 5:
put on low heat add the cream to the mix. depending on how big your squash was, you may need to add more liquid. it's best to start slowly with small amounts as it's harder to add squash back to make the soup thicker.
what you need:
1 large butternut squash
3 celery stalks
1 carrot
1 onion
1 tbsp cumin (or to taste - i added lots)
1/2 cup skim milk or cream
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 chorizo (mexican or spanish works fine)
olive oil and butter for cooking
step 1:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. quarter and scoop out the seeds and icky bits from the squash. roast on a pan with olive oil for ~1 hour or until tender and a bit caramelized. add oil, butter and onion to a big pot and saute until nice and caramelized. then add the chopped carrot and celery and cook down for ~10 minutes. add the cumin.
step 2:
when squash is ready, take the skin off and add chunks into the pan. cook and stir until everything is evenly incorporated. then add the stock and bring to a boil. turn down and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
step 3:
while the soup is simmering, slice your chorizo and brown in a separate pan. let it get nice and crispy. you can also take it out of the casings and crumble it up as another option.
step 4:
take mix off the heat. blend in the pot with an immersion blender, being careful not to scratch the bottom of the pot (in this case a le cruset!). you can also blend small ladelfuls into a regular blender, being careful not to let it explode everywhere. add back to pot.
step 5:
put on low heat add the cream to the mix. depending on how big your squash was, you may need to add more liquid. it's best to start slowly with small amounts as it's harder to add squash back to make the soup thicker.
