![\"soup.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.marga.org\/food\/blog\/soup.jpg\")
\nFor some reason, my daughter Mika got it into her head that she liked butternut squash soup, and she requested that I make it for Christmas. Now, butternut squash soup is not my favorite, but she was pretty insistent, which she rarely is for any food item.<\/p>\n
I made this soup based on a (surprise, suprise) epicurious.com<\/a> recipe. The recipe got great reviews, and people at my dinner table really liked it. In particular, Mika loved it.<\/p>\n Personally, I wasn’t sold by it, but I felt the cider cream was an essential ingredient for the soup to work – the sour element gave it an extra dimension to what would otherwise have been pretty bland results. I used Trader Joe’s sparkling apple cider, because that’s what I found at TJ’s. I used Better than Bouillon for the chicken stock – I usually just add the water and the appropriate amount of concentrate, rather than make the stock before hands. It’s easier and just as effective<\/p>\n I made the soup a day in advance and I think that improved it. I’d make it again if my daughter requested it.<\/p>\n On a different note, I found that the easiest way to peel the squash was to cut it into sections and then use a pairing knife to peel.<\/p>\n I didn’t change the recipe very much (if at all) – though below I’m providing adjusted ingredients. The original recipe turned out twice the amount of soup I needed to serve 8 as a soup course. There were no leftovers, though.<\/p>\n Butternut squash soup with cider cream<\/strong><\/p>\n Melt butter over medium-high heat in a stock or large pot. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery. Sautee for about 15 minutes, until soft. Add apples, thyme and sage and mix. Add chicken stock and 1\/2 cup of cider. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until apples are tender. Cool.<\/p>\n Puree the soup in a blender, in batches. Return to the soup.<\/p>\n Meanwhile boil 1\/4 cup cider in a small pan and reduce it by half. Cool. Place sour cream in a small bowl and whisk in the cider.<\/p>\n Bring soup to a slow boil. Add the whipping cream and mix well. Transfer the soup to a serving dish and drizzle with the sour cream. Top with chopped chives.<\/p>\n\n