Some butternut squash arrived in my "organic box" delivery last week, and my friend told me about a fabulous butternut squash soup she had recently. So, I gave it a try. I didn't have the exact recipe, so I did some research and experimented.
First, I roasted the squash. I cut it in half, poked some holes on both sides, brushed with a little oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper and a little sugar. I cooked the squash at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until it was soft. I only used the neck so I didn't have to deal with seeds.
I sauteed some chopped up carrots, celery and onion until it was all soft and caramelized. I scooped out the squash into my food processor, added the carrot mixture, and some chicken broth, salt, pepper, a little cayenne pepper, a little half and half, a piece of crisp bacon and a teaspoon of bacon grease. I swirled it around and then put it in a sauce pan to gently bubble until warm. Verdict? It was good! A little too much celery, I think, but really good.
Here is the finished product after making the base for our turkey gravy in advance. I scraped the fat off the top, which was easy because the base was cold. Then I put it in a pan over medium heat. Mixed about a quarter cup of flour in some water, and then whisked it in when the base got bubbly. I did add salt and pepper right before serving.
I did a bone-in turkey breast this Thanksgiving and I like the way it turned out. I always "turn" my turkey - rotating it every 25 minutes while it's cooking to make sure it's brown all over. I did rub this turkey with butter before cooking - that was the only seasoning.
