roasted butternut squash and apple soup

                   the perfect dinner on a rainy, chilly, fall evening.   serve it with no knead bread.

                                                                   

roasted butternut squash and apple soup

yield: 4 servings

ingredients

• 1 med-large butternut squash peeled, seeded, and 1” chopped
• 2 medium firm, tart apples (i used honeycrisp) cored and 1” chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked salt
• 2 tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, about 3/4-1 cup chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 cups stock (chicken or veg, i use chicken)
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• (1/4 cup) cream
• creme fraiche and honey roasted sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)
• fresh thyme for garnish (optional)

instructions

1. chop all your produce in the above list and heat the oven to 450°f
2. on a large sheet tray toss the apples and squash with the olive oil and one teaspoon of smoked salt. roast on the middle rack for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
3. while the veggies roast, melt the butter in a medium stock pot over medium-low heat. add the shallots, garlic, and a pinch of the smoked salt. cook until fragrant and translucent, about five minutes. stir often
4. add  the fresh thyme and simmer a couple of minutes. by this time your roasted veggies should just about be ready to come out. 
5. add the roasted veggies to the pot with the aromatics and top with the chicken stock, honey, and one more pinch of smoked salt. give it a good stir, bring it to a low simmer, and cook covered for about ten minutes to let the flavors mingle.
6. remove the lid, and, using a stick blender, puree the soup. 
7. once pureed, stir in the cream. taste and adjust the seasoning, adding additional salt or honey if needed. if you find it too thick for your taste, you can thin it with additional stock or cream depending on how rich you'd like it.
8. optional, top with creme fraiche, honey roasted sunflower seeds and a bit of fresh thyme.

love sent, xo