Butternut Squash Soup

Thanks to my friend Nivette for this yummy recipe!

1 (3 pound) butternut squash
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 (these may have cooked faster if they were grated)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme (didn't have this)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored, and cubed (I used a couple gala apples)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider (didn't have this)
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock (I used 4 or 5 cans)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
Directions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. place face down on foil lined pan. I would use a pan with sides, since my squash was kind of liquidy when it cooked. Roast for about an hour or until soft enough to scoop the squash out of the skin. (You can do this early in the day to save some time.)


Cook bacon in pot you plan to use for soup until it is done enough to be crumbled. Remove from pan, but leave drippings.

Place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the pot; cook in reserved bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. (This step seemed to take forever, so I reccommend cutting the vegetables into really small pieces. Maybe use a food processor or something.) 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 cider over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce to about half its original volume.(Okay, I did NOT reduce to half. My mixture was really thick and it was taking too long for my liking, so I just cooked it a few minutes and went on.) 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.

Makes about 12 cups. I've heard it freezes well.

This soup does take some time to make, but it is really really good! The curry and bacon flavors are what makes it! I ate the leftovers without sour cream or bacon crumbles and it was still yummy.