butternuts and apples

So last time I was in Whole Foods I saw a package of cut-up butternut squash. I grabbed it. Why? I don't really like winter squash that much... but something appealed. I thought maybe I'd throw it into a lentil soup I was going to make. Then last night I was thinking about what to make for dinner and remembered the squash. I recalled, fondly, a butternut squash and apple soup that I had this past fall. So I looked online and saw a bunch or recipes, but most were a little too sweet- or nutmeg/cinnamon heavy. I knew the taste I wanted. Then I found an Emeril Lagasse recipe from Good Morning America. I'm not usually that into Emeril (maybe just not his show, maybe he has some awesome recipes, I'll have to check it out) but this recipe looked like what I wanted. Here it is, with my notes:

Butternut Squash And Apple Soup

• 4 slices bacon - next time 2 would be sufficient
• One-half cup finely chopped onions -fine is relative. they will cook down, but do chop
• White and pale green parts of 1 large leek (about 1 cup) *you can use white onion if leeks are not available -it didn't say how to cut these, so I just sliced then chopped them up about the same as the onions
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• ½ bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• One and one-fourth pounds butternut squash, seeded, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups) - I found the '3 cups' to be inaccurate, so I weighed the squash. Also, I'm not sure what 1" pieces means (one inch square or one inch by 1/4" thick -mine were already in pieces the size of the squash and about 1" thick, so I just sliced them) I think it doesn't matter... not too thick of pieces, not too thin... and cook them until they're soft)
• 1 med-size Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled and chopped - will use 1-1/2 or 2 apples next time
• 2 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
• One-half cup water plus additional for thinning soup as needed
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche, plus more for garnishing, optional
• Chopped unpeeled apples, for garnishing, optional -did not use

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain, reserving 1½ tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease. Set the bacon aside and, when cool, crumble the bacon and reserve to garnish the soup. (funny story here- for some reason my brain left me at the supermarket. I knew what I was doing with the bacon, but still picked up microwavable bacon! I think it was to save the mess of grease splatter-even though I have a splatter screen thingy. I got home and cursed myself, so I opened up the package and took the bacon out to just cook it in a skillet. But micro-bacon cooks differently, so watch it. I totally burned most of it, but salvaged about 2 pieces worth, which was plenty)

In a heavy saucepan (I used a stockpot and it was maybe 4 quart-not sure, but still had plenty of space) heat the reserved grease over medium heat, add the onion, leek, garlic and bay leaf and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until softened. Add the squash, apple, broth and ½ cup water. Simmer the mixture, covered, until the squash is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (I simmered about 30-40 min. because I was talking with J about the day) Discard the bay leaf.

In a blender, puree the mixture in batches, transferring as it is pureed to a clean saucepan. Add enough additional water to thin soup to the desired consistency, if necessary. (I didn't need any water) Whisk (stir) in the sour cream or creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup over medium-low heat until hot (do not allow the soup to boil). (I just put the saucepan on 2 and poured the pureed soup in as I went- you don't have to really heat it again, it stays hot) Serve the soup garnished with the crumbled bacon and a dollop of sour cream and finely chopped apple, if desired. (I just garnished w/ the bacon. It doesn't really need the bacon, but I think it gives it a little richness and depth of flavor to cook the leeks/onions in the rendered fat. Also the crispyness of the bacon is nice with the smoothness of the soup. Also I used nf sour cream in the soup)

Makes about 4½ cups
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart