Butternut squash and apple soup with homemade croutons | Talk Pittsburgh
Fall is officially here, and there's no meal more cozy than soup and grilled cheese! Jen Clark, of the Crate Cooking School, has a great recipe for fall.
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Homemade Croutons
Yields 6 ½ -7 cups
- 2 ½ pounds butternut squash
- 6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ¼ -inch strips
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch dice (to yield 1 cup)
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable stock
- Homemade Croutons, for garnish (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 375. Roast whole butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet for about one hour or until golden and tender, and slightly shriveled. A knife or skewer should be able to easily pierce into the flesh. Once squash is cool enough to handle cut in half and remove seeds. Peel flesh from skin and cut into cubes.
In a 5-quart or larger stockpot set over medium heat, cook the bacon, until crisp and golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Reserve extra bacon fat for croutons
Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the apple, sage, salt, and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes more. Add cubed roasted squash, then pour in stock, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool a little bit before pureeing.
Puree soup in small batches in a blender or use an immersion blender. Taste and add more salt and pepper. Reheat the soup and garnish each serving with homemade croutons and crispy bacon pieces.
Homemade Croutons
- 1 ½ cups cubed bread, such as pumpernickel
- 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, melted butter or olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toss bread cubes with fat of choice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven until golden, 8 to 12 minutes.
Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Apple & Honey Mustard
Makes 4 sandwiches
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- 8 slices bread of your choice
- ¼ lb thinly sliced deli ham (optional)
- 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
- 2 cups (8 oz) extra sharp cheddar, shredded
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Heat a griddle or large nonstick fry pan over medium-low heat.
In a small bowl, combine mustard and honey. Generously spread honey mustard mixture on 4 slices of bread. Top each slice with some cheddar, some apple, a few slices of ham (if using) and additional cheddar. Spread remaining bread slices with honey mustard, place on top of each sandwich and then spread with butter.
Place the sandwiches on the heated griddle or fry pan buttered-side down and butter the remaining side. Cook until the cheese is slightly melted and the bread is browned. Flip the sandwiches and continue to cook until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the sandwiches are golden brown. Let rest for a moment, then cut in half and serve.