It’s that time of year again…soup season!
The thought of coming home to a warm bowl of soup when it’s blustering outside (not that it’s blustering…yet!) just gives me the warm fuzzies!
You all know how I love to eat local as much as I can, but I know that it gets harder and harder to eat local as the winter approaches. But, now is the time to enjoy all of those goodies that are in abundance here in Ontario. This soup starts with a wonderful fall staple – squash!
So, grab yourself a squash and get soupin’!!
Ingredients:
1 pepper squash (or the neck of a butternut squash)
4 rashers of bacon (check this out if you have leftover bacon!)
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 chipotle pepper, diced (with a bit of the adobe that comes with it if you want an extra kick!)
About 4-6 c chicken stock
2 tbsp whipping cream (optional)
maple syrup to taste
salt and pepper
maple flakes (optional) – available at the bulk barn
1. Prep (peel, de-seed and chop) your squash – I find butternut squash easier because it’s skin is smooth and easy to peel!
2. In a soup pot, cook bacon until crisp; remove and add onion, celery and chipotle.
This is the chipotle that I use. You can buy it in the Mexican section of your grocery store (where you buy your nacho chips!!). Generally, you only use a bit so just portion out the leftovers and put them into snack Ziploc bags and freeze the rest for another time!
3. Cook veggies until soft and a bit browned.
4. Add you chicken stock to the pot (you can use homemade or when you run out – like I did – use a good quality organic brand).
5. Add the squash and cook until soft (about 20 minutes).
6. Puree the mixture and season with salt and pepper; splash it with the cream if using.
7. To soften the heat from the chipotle, add about a tbsp of maple syrup…it really rounds out the flavour!!
8. Serve with reserved bacon pieces and maple flakes.
Enjoy the soup now, and if you have leftover, remember to do this…you will thank me the next time you get caught in a snow storm and you want soup for dinner!
