My parents know me pretty well (and pick up on the things I mention) – and they got me a new historical cookbook for Christmas! So I made my first dish from it this past weekend. Old Fashioned Soups, Stews, & Chowders is the second book I own (and third I have worked out of) from publisher, Bear Wallow Books. They publish historical recipes pamphlet books each based on different themes.
Featured in this booklet is a section about “kettle foods”. Did you know that the followings soups were popular in these areas of the country?:
- New England: Seafood chowders; bean soup; squash and pumpkin cream soups
- The South: Soups with a rice or peanut base; Creole and catfish stew; and bouillabaisse
- The Midwest: Corn chowder; pumpkin porridge; soups made with fruit and berries; beef stew
- The Frontier: Rabbit stew and other stews made from small game
- West & Southwest: Stews made from beans, peppers, and tomato with Spanish and Native influences
The soup that I made is a quintessentially New England autumn soup.
Creamy Apple n’ Squash Soup
Makes approximately 8 servings
Ingredients:
3 cups tart green apples, chopped (Granny Smith)
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1 quart chicken stock (homemade or store bought)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup thick cream
Nutmeg
Directions:
1) Combine apples, squash, onions, and chicken stock with seasonings in a large saucepan and cook uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
2) Add cream just before serving and garnish each bowl with a dash of nutmeg.
I have to say I was a little hesitant trying this soup, and convincing my fiancé was an even greater stretch. I had only had butternut squash in a hearty mac & cheese so I wasn’t sure how it would be in soup. Also, the idea of putting apples in a soup was a little weird to me. However, the soup was very good – and interesting. The apples made it sweet and married nicely with the earthiness of the squash.
If you prepare it the way the way it is directed you will have decent sized chunks of squash. We wanted it a little more textured similar to the apples, which had melted down in the cooking process – so we did a very light mash to the squash with a hand masher. It was a lot more pleasing, texturally, to the palate.
I did learn a lot from this first attempt at cleaning and prepping a butternut squash. I will be paying the extra to buy it pre-cut and cleaned. It took WAY too much time and energy! I did however learn how to make roasted butternut squash seeds along the way.
I think that if you like butternut squash you will like the soup. I don’t know that I would make it again, but it was good none-the-less.
Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Any post remotely related to cooking can participate.
Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court
This sounds delicious! I may give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do and that you enjoy it!
DeleteButternut squash AND apples, you say? Sounds like a delicious winter staple. I'm trying to stay away from creamy soups, but this one sounds good. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis could easily be made without the cream - you only add it at the end. It would just be more of a stock based soup. I used light cream instead of heavy cream to cut some of the calories.
DeleteSounds great to me. You could easily substitute veggie broth for a nice vegetarian staple!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention that I actually DID make it with vegetable broth because for some strange reason they didn't have any chicken broth in the store.
DeleteThanks for sharing this recipe. The soup sounds and looks delicious. I've never actually made soup, but have been thinking about doing so lately so I just might try making this one myself.
ReplyDeleteIt actually was a fairly easy soup to make - and would be even easier if you buy already cleaned and chopped squash.
DeleteI love butternut squash, but agree that it's a pain in the butt to peel and cut. I often break down and buy it already prepped. It's one of the few things that's worth the money.
ReplyDeleteThis soup sounds like something we would love!
I couldn't agree more!
DeleteOh, I meant to add that I bet some shredded sharp Cheddar would be awesome sprinkled on top.
ReplyDeleteIt would have probably been good.
DeleteI do like butternut squash. Have to say, I've never tried it with apples as a soup though. Sounds like a great, light meal.
ReplyDeleteI had never thought about having apples in a soup before.
DeleteLove butternut squash soup. The addition of apples sounds very nice! I usually puree everything for a creamy soup.
ReplyDeleteI would be like that too.
Delete