Last week I had a lunch meeting at someone's home, and prior to the delicious salad we were served with two shades of grilled asparagus, walnuts, baby lettuces, dried cranberries and sliced avocado, we were each given a large mug of piping hot butternut squash soup. Few foods scream fall to me more than squash, and while I don't often eat soup, when I do I often choose this kind.
What made this one different was, that in place of the granny smith apple I tend to include, this was prepared with leeks. I love leeks and they offer a fragrant element to a dish, even if onion is already included in the recipe.
I had a rather quiet afternoon today, so I went to a local market, picked up some squash, vegetable stock and leeks and set to work. Here is the recipe I created, inspired by that lunch:
You will need: 1 large butternut squash, rinsed, halved the long way, seeds removed 2.5-3 c low-sodium vegetable stock 1 bunch of leeks, dark green leaves and stem removed, washed well, sliced into thin rings 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped Cooking spray 2 tsp truffle or walnut oil (optional) Kosher salt Black pepper
Set your oven to roast at 450 degrees.
Place the squash in a baking dish, spray with cooking spray, and bake 20-30 minutes until tender.
Once cooled, mash with a fork and discard as much of the skin as possible.
On medium-high heat, sautee the onions and leeks in cooking spray until translucent. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and continue to cook while the liquid is mostly absorbed. Set aside.
Combine the squash with the other ingredients in a large stock pot, including the remaining 1-1.5 cups of stock (that variation depends on how thick you want your end result to be.) Using an immersion blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. (If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular one.)
Add two teaspoons of either truffle or walnut oil to add a depth of flavor and richness of texture and season with salt and pepper to taste. For the record, I chose truffle.
Serve immediately or refrigerate. This hearty, vegan soup can last up to a week or can be frozen.
