Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 medium (2 to 2 1/2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeds and strings discarded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 fresh sage leaves plus additional for garnish
3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored and chopped
4 to 5 cups chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Recipe
1. Cut the butternut squash into 1-inch pieces and set aside. 2. In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Add the nutmeg, thyme, and sage and cook for another minute, stirring. Add the squash, carrots, apple, and 4 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. 3. Remove the thyme sprigs and sage leaves from the soup and carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or a food mill and purée until smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Season to taste and serve hot. NOTE: Sage leaves quickly fried in butter are a brilliant complement to the soup's natural sweetness. To prepare, simply melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small sautee pan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Add whole sage leaves and saute until brown and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish each serving of soup with 1 or 2 leaves and a drizzle of butter.