Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Apples & Roquefort Cheese

Recipe By Chef Stacy Maple

Winter Squash: The Colorful Cast of Fall

Fall is here and with it comes a whole new cast of colorful characters to the food scene. Is it any wonder that with such star studded names like Emerald Bush, Blue Hubbard, Sweet Mama, Gold Nugget, Buttercup, Honey Delight, Acorn and Butternut that this season's hit is surely Winter Squash?  With more than a dozen varieties, each Winter Squash is as unique and interesting as its name.  Their kaleidoscope of colors, shapes and sizes dominate the scene of local markets this time of year.

What's in a Name

Despite their name, Winter Squash are actually a warm weather crop whose season runs from late summer to mid-winter.  They get their name because they can be stored through the winter months in an unrefrigerated, but cool, dark place.

Which is Right for your Recipe

Don't be confused by the many varieties of Winter Squash as they can be used interchangeably in nearly all recipes. Even Pumpkins can be interchanged for Winter Squash.  No matter what variety of winter squash or pumpkin you choose, pick one that feels heavy for its size and has a hard, deep-colored, blemish-free skin.

Roasted Winter Squash with Apples & Roquefort Cheese

Yield 4-6 Servings

Prep Time  60 minutes

Ingredients

1 lbs Winter Squash (i.e. Pumpkin, Butternut, Acorn, etc)
1 TB Butter
½ Cup Onions, chopped
½ Cup Leeks, chopped
¾ Cup Carrots, chopped
1 QT  Vegetable Stock
1/8 tsp Allspice, ground
½ tsp Ginger, fresh, grated
To Taste Salt
To Taste White Pepper
To Garnish Apple, Firm and Tart
To Garnish Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Directions

Step 1  Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place squash face down on an oiled baking sheet.

Step 2  Roast squash at 350 degrees for 30-45 min or until soft (cooking time will depend upon size).

Step 3  Heat butter in a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. 

Step 4  Add onions, leeks and carrots to pot.  Sweat until soft and thoroughly cooked, being careful not to brown.

Step 5  Scoop cooked squash from its skin with a metal kitchen spoon.  Add squash to the soup pot.

Step 6  Stir in vegetable stock to soup pot.  Bring to a simmer and cook together for 15 minutes.

Step 7  Remove soup pot from stove top.  Puree soup until smooth with immersion blender or food processor.  (This may require working in small batches if using food processor or traditional kitchen blender.)

Step 8  Puree soup until desired texture is reached.   For a silky texture, strain soup through a medium mesh strainer and discard solids. For a more rustic style soup, do not strain.

Step 9  Season with allspice, ginger, salt and pepper.

Step 10  Portion soup into individual bowls

Step 11  Slice apples very thin and arrange attractively on top of soup

Step 12  Sprinkle with Bleu Cheese Crumbles

Step 13  Serve and enjoy!

Chef's Notes:  Check out my "6 Tips for Better Soup" that will save you time in the kitchen and have you making soup like a pro!