Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brandy

prep time:: 1 hr 15 minutes

Makes 6 servings

Ellen Marshall

This is a good first course at Thanksgiving.

ingredients

2 large butternut squash, halved lengthwise
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup apple brandy (or 1/4 cup plain brandy and 1/4 cup apple cider)
2 14-oz. cans low-salt chicken broth
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbs. warm water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

directions

1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub 2 Tbs. olive oil on squash flesh and place cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast squash until tender--about an hour. Cool for 20 minutes and then scoop pulp into a mixing bowl.
2
Heat remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil in heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Saute until onions are soft--about 10 minutes. Add apple brandy (or plain brandy and apple cider) and boil until almost all the liquid evaporates. Remove cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Add squash to the pot and add in chicken broth and evaporated milk. Using a stick blender, blend until smooth. (Or you can blend everything in batches in a regular blender.) Sample and adjust seasonings to taste. I sometimes add a little extra cinnamon, some ginger, and some nutmeg to my soup.
3
To serve, bring soup to a simmer for five minutes. Mix sour cream, water, and cinnamon in a cup and drizzle a small bit onto the top of each bowl of soup prior to serving.

notes

Here is a soup storage tip: store your cooled soup in a plastic pitcher--takes up less room in the refrigerator than a huge casserole and it is much easier to pour into a bowl or pan to warm it up. (Label the pitcher "soup" so no one thinks it's O.J!)

Source: Ellen Marshall