Butternut Squash Soup With Sage Chips

It’s the time of the year where squash is readily available. With autumn in Vancouver being rainy and cold, we could all use some soul-warming soup!

Butternut squash soup is delicious and easy recipe to make. The end result is a rich-tasting heartwarming soup for the fall season, with the added sage, expect a delicious combination of flavours.

This recipe is super easy! You can start with pre-cut squash or an entire squash cut half in the middle. You basically roast everything in the oven, simmer, puree, and you’re done! Full flavour and silky.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Chips

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds)

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for frying the sage

• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp each)

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove minced

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 12 sage leaves (or thyme or rosemary can be substituted)

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, turkey stock, vegetable broth

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, grated (if preferred substitute with cinnamon)

• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus a little more for serving

Garnish Suggestions

• 4 prosciutto crisps or pancetta crisps or salami crisps (recipe follows)

• 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, toasted

• 2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Cut the squash on the bottom to make the squash stable when cutting in half

4. Cut the squash in half

5. Next scoop out the stringy pulp and seeds

6. Then place the squash cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet

7. Brush the flesh of squash with 1/2 tablespoon oil.

8. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Cut the onion into 1/8” slices.

10. Remove the wrapper from the garlic

11. Place the onion and garlic on a small sheet of aluminum foil.

12. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil.

13. Wrap aluminum foil around onion and garlic

14. Next place on the baking sheet with the squash

15. Then place the baking sheet into the oven to roast about 50 minutes to 1 hour, remove the onion and garlic aluminium pouch after 30 minutes and set aside until the squash is done.

16. If you are making the prosciutto crisps (see recipe below), add the prosciutto slices into the oven at this time with the butternut squash.

17. If you are making the crispy sage (see recipe below), do this part now.

18. Finely chop the remaining 4 sage leaves

19. When the butternut squash is ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven, and allow to sit for 15 minutes or until the squash is ready to be handled with bare hands.

20. When the squash is ready to be handled, scoop the squash flesh out and place into a bowl; discard the skins of the butternut squash.

21. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, start melting the butter on the lowest heat (if you want brown butter, turn up the heat a tad to get the butter to the brown state).

22. Add the chopped sage leaves and allow to sage fragrance to be extracted into butter.

23. Add the roasted onions and garlic to the pot. Stir to mix.

24. Add the cayenne.

25. Add the roasted butternut squash.

26. Add the broth/stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

27. Stir to mix, breaking up the butternut squash.

28. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces of squash, this will take roughly 10 minutes.

29. Add the grated nutmeg. Stir to mix.

30. Using a immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth or transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until almost smooth; if you are making a larger portion, make sure to do this part in batches. Add more broth or stock if you prefer a thinner soup.

31. If you used a blender or food processor - return the soup to the pot.

32. Next add the cream, and simmer until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Stir.

33. Season with salt and pepper.

34. Divide the soup among 4 large bowls or 6 small bowls, swirl a spoonful of cream into each bowl, and top each bowl with a prosciutto crisp and two pieces of crispy sage leaves. Serve.

To make crispy sage:

1. In the large stockpot or dutch oven, heat about 1 to 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering-hot.

2. Add 8 sage leaves to the hot oil and let them crisp up; it will only take 10 to 15 seconds.

3. When they are ready, they will darken green a bit. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Prosciutto Crisps:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on the baking sheet.

4. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Allow to cool and they will crisp up as it cools.

Notes:

• If you prefer a sweeter butternut squash soup, I recommend the following substitutes and additions -

• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey (add this at the end with the heavy cream)

• 1 granny smith apple, peel, core, and cut into 1” chunks (roast these with the onions and garlic in the foil)

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