A Perfect Autumn Afternoon
The sun playing peek-a-boo with the clouds
A cool crispness in the air
Participating in a parade of Porsches
Cruising through the winding backroads of the Fraser Valley
Witnessing foliage reluctantly relinquishing green for subtle yellow, vibrant orange and crimson
Stopping to sip little tastes of wine at the local wineries
and then dipping into a bowl of roasted squash soup ….along with some Chardonnay
(purchased at one of our stops at Township 7)
Roasted winter squash, garlic, sage, apples, and smokey pancetta … a savoury combination that celebrates the harvest in style.
With winter squash so abundant in gardens and at the markets (and so inexpensive), we can take this opportunity to use it in many different ways. And there are so many varieties from which to choose – and all would work in this recipe. My preference is to use butternut squash for this soup.
Roasting the squash and the garlic prior to making the soup ‘ups’ the flavour-factor in a big way. Using the entire head of garlic may appear to be excessive; however, when garlic is roasted it transforms from strong and pungent to being sweet and complex.
Sage is the supporting star of this soup – earthy and subtly complex.
…and don’t forget the important splash of sherry vinegar as a finale.
Roasted Squash Soup
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours (includes roasting time)
Number of Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 large head of garlic, separated into cloves (approximately 15), peeled, left whole
Olive oil
Kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper
100 g (3.5 ounces) pancetta or bacon, diced into very small cubes
2 tart apples (Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and cut into ½ inch pieces
5 – 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2-3 tablespoons (30-45 mL) chopped fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper
Splash of sherry vinegar
Garnish with sautéed sage leaves, crème fraiche, and extra pancetta bits
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375 oF (190 0C). Prepare squash, and combine it with the garlic cloves. Toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Spread on a well-oiled roasting pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until very tender.
2. While squash is baking, heat a large soup pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced pancetta or bacon and sauté until well-cooked. Set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings.
3. In the reserved pancetta drippings, sauté apple pieces until very soft.
4. When the squash and garlic are roasted, add to the soup pot. You may need to de-glaze the roasting pan with a bit of broth to ensure that all the roasted bits of squash and garlic get into the soup.
5. Add broth and chopped sage and heat through.
6. Add ½ of the cooked pancetta back into the soup.
7. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to the desired consistency. Add more broth if it is too thick.
8. Adjust seasonings, add the vinegar.
9. Garnish with crème fraiche, reserved pancetta bits, and sautéed sage leaves (Over medium heat, in a little oil, sauté fresh sage leaves until crisp – 5 minutes).
