Ode to Fall

Finally, it’s fall.  I love love LOVE fall.  It is, without a doubt, my favorite season. 

I love the cool, crisp weather that isn’t quite cold yet, but it’s still invigorating.  I love wearing cute outfits that involve any combination of sweaters, scarves, and boots.  I love how it’s not cold enough to wear gloves yet, but you’re fingers still get a little chilly, giving you the perfect excuse to always have a cup of hot tea, coffee, or (my personal fav) spiced apple cider with you.

I love going apple picking, which my family did every year growing up.  I love the month-long marathon of Jewish holidays that makes you stuff your face with so much good food, yell at yourself for eating so much that it hurts, then do it all again at the next meal just a few hours later.

I love the smell of fall.  I love the vibrant colors of fall (which have yet to get here, but they’ll come).  And of course, I love fall flavors.

This soup is exactly what you need on a cool, crisp fall day.  It’s warm, it’s delicious, it is literally fall in a cup.

This is a recipe I found about a year ago.  Everyone makes butternut squash soup, so I was trying to figure out which version of it appealed to me most.  Then I spotted this gem from Ina Garten on Food Network’s site, and I knew it was the beginning of something beautiful.

I’ve noticed that my MO in recipe adaptations is to cut the oil and up the spicing.  In this case, the spicing is curry powder.  Is there such a thing as too much curry?

Anyway, like I said, about a year ago I found this recipe.  I made it several times throughout winter.  And then March came along, and I just couldn’t justify making fall soups anymore.  That, and I was already in spring mode, which seems to start in February in DC.  But oh, how I’ve craved this bowl of deliciousness since then.  I held off as long I could, I waited and waited for the weather to change.  And now, it finally feels like the fall I’ve been waiting for.  It’s finally time for hot apple cider, pumpkin pies, and butternut squash soup.

Please  excuse me while I gobble down another bowl….or five.  Why oh why did I only make one small batch?

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 Butternut squash, peeled and coarsely chopped

1.5 cups vegetable broth or water

1.5 cups apple cider

2 sweet apples (I used honey crisps – they’re delicious!)

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Peal the squash and the apples (then snack on the apple skins!).  Remove the squash seeds and the apple core, and cut everything up into chunks.  It’s ok if it’s not pretty.  Also, here’s a great shortcut – buy butternut squash that’s already cut up.  That’ll save you lots of time and effort.

2.  Warm the olive oil in a large stockpot.  Add the onions, cook over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they soften and begin to sweat.  Then add the curry powder, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so.  I should warn you, when the curry powder is cooking with the onions, it will fill your kitchen/apartment/house with the most amazing smell ever. 

Seriously.  Amazing.

3.  Next add the squash, apples, and vegetable stock (you can use this opportunity to deglaze the pot, if you need to).  The liquid will not cover the squash and apples.  Trust me, that’s right.  Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low to medium heat for 30-40 minutes, or until the squash and apples are soft, stirring occasionally. 

4.  Add the apple cider and puree the soup!  I used an immersion blender for this, but you could also ladle the soup into either a food processor or a blender.  Just be careful of hot soup in a blender.  This is a thick, velvety soup, but if you want it to be thinner, add in some water.

5.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Enjoy!