Creamy Acorn Squash Soup

As I mentioned in a previous post, Autumn is a perfect time to spend some time making soup for dinner. To me, there is something relaxing about cooking and preparing a soup is probably the most relaxing culinary endeavor for me (except maybe baking…). This soup is a sweet and savory meal highlighted by warm spices (ginger and cloves), brown sugar, and thyme packaged in a velvety cream. To give the soup some ‘tooth’, I add crispy linguiça sausage bits and the renderings to provide a salty aspect. Enjoy this soup on a chilly fall evening with a some warm rustic bread and I think you will agree it is a winner worth the effort.

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Creamy Acorn Soup

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 medium acorn squash
2 tbsp butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp dried thyme
½ medium shallot, diced (approximately 2 tbsp)
1 large clove of garlic, minced (approximately 1½ tsp)
¾ cup chicken broth
¾ cup heavy cream
4 oz linguiça sausage, sliced and quartered
1 tsp butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cloves, ginger, and thyme and whisk to combine.
Split and clean the squash, then split each half.
Cover a cookie or baking sheet with foil, place the squash on the sheet.
Coat the cut sides and center divot with the brown sugar mixture.
Roast in the oven 35 to 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a paring knife.
Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool.
When the squash is cool, remove the flesh from the skin.
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter.
When melted, add the shallots and sweat them until translucent, approximately 4 - 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and when fragrant add ¼ cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
Lower the heat to medium low and add the squash, remaining broth, and the cream.
Mix with an immersion blender until smooth.
Heat gently until lightly simmering, adjust the seasoning as needed (salt, pepper, thyme).
While the soup simmers lightly, heat a small frying pan and fry the linguiça until crisp.
Ladle the soup into a bowl and float the linguiça on top, drizzling the renderings in the frying pan over top.
Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme if desired.

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cloves, ginger, and thyme and whisk to combine.

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Split and clean the squash, then split each half.

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Cover a cookie or baking sheet with foil, place the squash on the sheet. Coat the cut sides and center divot with the brown sugar mixture.

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Roast in the oven 35 to 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a paring knife. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool.

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When the squash is cool, remove the flesh from the skin. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add the shallots and sweat them until translucent, approximately 4 – 5 minutes.

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Add the garlic and when fragrant add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Lower the heat to medium low and add the squash, remaining broth, and the cream. Mix with an immersion blender until smooth. Heat gently until lightly simmering, adjust the seasoning as needed. (salt, pepper, thyme)

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While the soup simmers lightly, heat a small frying pan and fry the linguiça until crisp.

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Ladle the soup into a bowl and float the linguiça on top, drizzling the renderings in the frying pan over top. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme if desired.