Before I tell you about Christmas—because that takes a while—let me tell you about the amazing butternut squash soup we had last week. I made it because Shane was busy with an elaborate beef stew, and I wanted more than just salad for dinner.
The thing that makes this soup special is the fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary) and the gruyere croutons, which I made from a bagel we had in the freezer because there wasn’t any good crusty bread around. The bagel worked fine, it was a good bagel to begin with.
This soup makes a fantastic vegetarian meal—particularly with the addition of a salad—because the croutons are almost like adding a little grilled cheese sandwich.
• Butternut Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons •
adapted from this recipe
serves 4-6, vegetarian
Ingredients
Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth (or 3 teaspoons vegetable Better Than Bouillon mixed with 3 cups water)
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/4 cup whipping cream
Croutons
soft butter for spreading (about two tablespoons
8 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices (bagel slices work in a pinch)
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage
Instructions
Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove pot from stove and puree using an immersion blender. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the croutons. Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread or bagel slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with a crouton or two and serve.
