roasted butternut squash soup with apples and bacon

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (3 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 8 strips bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 carrots, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 granny smith apple - peeled, cored, and cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup apple
• 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 1 hr 40 mins


• preheat an oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). place squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. spread squash into a single layer on a baking pan. roast the squash in the preheated oven, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized; 30 to 40 minutes.
• place the bacon in a dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.
• place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the dutch oven; cook in reserved bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. mix in the apples and cooked squash and cook another 5 minutes. stir the garlic into the mixture and cook another 1 minute. pour the apple over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce to about half its original volume. stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
• puree the soup in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. if using a blender, don't fill the blender more than half-way. always remove the center lid piece of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the steam can escape. cover the hole with a dish towel while blending. stir the nutmeg into the soup. garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and some of the bacon pieces to serve.