Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil (grapeseed works well: it’s a high- quality, high-heat oil)
- 1 small-medium onion, diced
- 1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes*
- 1 bottle of your favorite, organic, white table wine
- 2 – 3 cups vegan broth (you can make your own using finely diced carrots, celery, garlic, and any available greens, or try Rapunzel brand, no-salt bouillon cubes)
- 1 small, fresh bunch sage, chopped, OR 3 – 4 tablespoons dried sage, to taste 4 – 6 slices of bread, cubed
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- Black pepper to taste, but don’t be afraid to use quite a lot
*To cube and peel the butternut squash, use a sharp knife and cut the squash in half along the short dimension. Place the flat side down on a safe cutting board, and – while always keeping your hand safely above the knife entry point – slice down to take off the peel. You can also remove the peel by using a sharp potato/vegetable peeler.
This rich, luscious soup will turn out best if you use locally grown, organic ingredients. APNM Executive Director, Elisabeth Jennings, provided the recipe. She says, ”I eagerly await fall produce each year so I can make this soup!” Serve with a green salad and fresh bread for a satisfying fall meal. Serves six to eight.
- Using a thick-bottomed, cast iron Dutch oven (preferably), sauté onions in oil over medium heat until onions are very brown and caramelized (the caramelized onions are a very important component of the soup’s flavor).
- Stir in squash and cook for a few minutes. Then add white wine until squash is almost covered. Leave Dutch oven uncovered and cook down until the liquid is reduced by almost half.
- Add broth until squash is covered more than 1 inch. Let cook until squash is cooked through.
- Add fresh sage and bread, salt and black pepper.
- Transfer the soup to a food processor/blender or puree the soup right inside the Dutch oven using a hand mixer on low speed. Serve immediately, while piping hot.
