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Dec 2009  |  By Laura Hine  |  Comments (0)

Butternut Squash and Ham Soup

TAGS: soup, recipes, comfort food

This warm, delicious and nourishing soup is a regular in my menu rotation. It can be made ahead of time or as the hungry are grumbling.

If you need to feed a few extra bodies, add a little more potato, stock and ham. It’s a very forgiving recipe.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
• 5 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup potato, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup cream or half and half
• 2 cups cooked ham, diced

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the onion. Sauté over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

2. Add the rosemary, squash, potato and chicken stock and bring to a low boil. Cook until the squash and potato are soft, about 20 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat and either use an immersion blender to puree or wait for the soup to cool a little and then puree in a food processor or blender.

4. Warm the soup back up. Add cream and ham. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook’s note: You don’t have to be too exact about your chopping because everything is going to be pureed. Also, this is a great soup to make a day or two before you need it.

Complete the menu: Popovers and a green salad make a perfect winter meal. To drink, try a white wine from the Cotes du Rhone. Schaefer’s carries a great one for about $16.

 

Shopping List

 

Meat

1 ham steak (or 2 cups leftover ham)

Dairy

1 small carton cream or half and half

butter

Produce

1 medium butternut squash (or precut and peeled squash)

1 garlic head

1 onion

2 potatoes (red or Yukon gold)

1 small bunch rosemary

Other

1 32-ounce carton chicken stock