The Savory Soup You Will Crave Every Night

Happy Friday, loves! It’s finally the weekend and I cannot wait to spend a low-key weekend with my family. We just got a new stove – a gas range – and I have no doubt we’ll be trying to figure out a way to use it for every meal. The one meal I will most definitely be making over the weekend? The Butternut Squash & Envy Apple Soup from the Envy Apples cooking class I participated in this past week. Oh man, y’all, it is so dang good!

This past week I attended a cooking class at Central Market that was all about Envy Apples. Central Market offers two types of classes – hands on and demos – and this one was a demo class, which basically means you sit back and relax. You reap all the benefits of the amazing chefs – good wine and great food – without doing any work. Plus, you get all kinds of crazy good cooking tips along the way. For example, did you know that apples have pores? Envy apples specifically have pores, so they breath! Do you know how to properly store apples? In a brown bag with holes in your refrigerator. Who knew!

If I’m being honest, I haven’t ever cooked with apples. I have only eaten them raw and/or chopped them up and mixed them raw in a salad. That being said, I was stoked to go to a cooking class all about apples. Before our class started we learned a little bit about Envy Apples. I knew Envy Apples browned slowly (perfect for kids’ lunches, right?), but I had no idea they had some serious health benefits. Did you know Envy Apples lower LDLs, lower glucose, lower your blood pressure, and regulate digestion? I didn’t either, but who can pass that up. Plus they taste incredible – sweet, tart and crisp all at the same time!

Throughout the class, the Central Market chefs demoed multiple recipes from Envy Apple & Blueberry Baked Oatmeal to Sheet Pan-Roasted Fennel-Crusted Pork Loin with Envy Apple & Onions. But the one that stood out to me the most was the soup. It was so rich, savory, and simple! I’m always looking for recipes that are easy to make, but make a big impact. This soup is most definitely one of those recipes you’ll pull out every time you have people over.

This recipe is too good not to share, so I’m sharing it with you guys today. Envy Apples are in season November – January, so I would definitely try it sooner rather than later. Helpful tip though: Envy apples (when stored in a brown bag with holes) will stay good for up to 6 weeks! So, if you can’t try this recipe in the next couple of weeks, snag some Envy apples and store them to try at a later date! For those that do try this recipe, let me know what you think in the comments section!!

Butternut Squash & Envy Apple Soup with Sage

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 lbs whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2T unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium Envy Apple (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnished, if desired
• 2.5 Cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2.5 Cups water
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt (plus more as needed)
• .5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 Cup heavy cream (you can leave this out if you want)
• 1/2 Cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 T of the butter and brush it all over the tops and insides of the squash halves. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to an hour.
3. Meanwhile, peel, core and cut teh apple into a medium dice. Cut the onion into a medium dice. Melt the remaining T of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch over over medium heat. Add the apple, onion and sage, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. (Don’t let butter brown too much)
4. While the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the squash skins.
5. Add the broth, water and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
6. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel. This allows the steam to escape and prevents the blinder lid from popping off. Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Serve garnished with fried sage leaves and toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

This post was created in partnership with Central Market. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting those brands that support Fleurdille.