BEET SOUP IN ROASTED ACORN SQUASH BOWL
Hi There! Before I get to my wonderful Thanksgiving Beet Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash Bowl I wanted to share something else with you.
I love chalkboards!
In the process of building my Lake Arrowhead home I made myself a chalkboard. I bought a beautiful gilded frame. Next, I painted a piece of particle board with black chalkboard paint, inserted it into the frame and wa la! My chalkboard was born. It hangs in my great room……
……and greets my guests with welcoming messages like……
It welcomes my son home from college……
It wishes my cousin Tag Happy Birthday……
And it wishes my best buddy, Cindy Happy Birthday too……
My kids even use it to wish me Happy Birthday. Chalkboard love runs deep. It’s in the blood.
My well-loved chalkboard also speaks (in Spanish) of what I am serving at birthday celebrations.
At Thanksgiving time it reminds us to……
And it also reminds us to be grateful for the vittles.
But that reminds me……I was going to teach you how to make this delectable and beautiful Beet Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash Bowls. WOW! That was a mouth full!
OK, first go out and buy yourself 6, (2 lb) acorn squash. When you get home, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Keep in mind that this recipe feeds a crowd, so go ahead and invite the neighbors.
First, give your squash a bath to get them nice and clean. Next, cut off the top of your squash, removing the stem. HINT: You can keep those stems to make the decorative cloth pumpkins I showed you how to make in a previous post. Then cut that sucker right down the middle horizontally using a large, sharp knife. Be careful not to cut yourself! Beet Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash Bowls is good, but not good enough to lose a digit over, as these puppies can be unyielding at times.
Now, what I want you to do is, using a big soup spoon, scoop out all the seeds and discard them.
Next, cut a very thin slice off the bottoms of each squash half to create a stable, flat bottom.
Now, brush your “bowls” all over, inside and out, with olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on the inside flesh. Place the oiled and seasoned bowls on two large baking sheets. Pop them in the preheated oven and roast them until the flesh is tender, about 1-1/4 hours. In the meantime you are going to make the soup.
Get out a large stock pot and plop in 3 tablespoons of butter. Melt the butter over low heat.
Now dice up 1 large red onion and throw it in the pot with the butter. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until tender. Now comes the part when you’re on your own because I was so busy I forgot to take a lot of photos. Anyway, you’re smart and I know you can do it.
So, take 8 medium size beets that have been peeled and diced, and cut up into 1 inch squares and throw them in the pot with the onions.
Next, take 2 red apples, peel and core them, cut them into 1 inch squares and throw them in the pot with the beets and the onions.
Now, cook the whole kit-n-kaboodle, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Ya got that so far? OK, good.
Next, I want you to mince up 3 garlic cloves.
Toss the garlic into the pot and saute for another 30 seconds. Careful ‘cuz you don’t want the garlic to brown or burn.
The next thing you need is 12 cups of chicken broth. If you are real ambitious you can make your own stock from chicken bones and vegetables.
Or, you can buy it premade in boxes which can keep in your pantry and come in real handy. I buy the organic stuff by the case at Costco.
Or, you can make your broth with Better Than Bouillon! Have I ever mentioned that I love Better Than Bouillon? I use it for all kinds of recipes.
Anyway, go ahead and add into your pot 12 Cups of whichever form of chicken stock you prefer. By the way, you can also use vegetable broth.
Over low heat, set your pot to simmering, uncovered, until the beets and apples are tender. This takes about 40 minutes.
Finally, stir in 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of packed brown sugar.
Now you’re in the home stretch. Go check your Acorn Squash in the oven. Once they are tender, remove them from the oven and cover them with foil. If you have a warming drawer now is the time to use it to keep your squash bowls warm.
The final step is to purée the soup in your blender until it is very smooth. You will need to do this in batches. Use caution when blending the hot liquid. Transfer the soup from the blender back into a large pot, add freshly grated ginger, cayenne pepper and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little more chicken stock.
Reheat the soup just before you are ready to serve it. Pour the soup into your squash bowls and serve, garnished with a little sour cream and fresh sage.
NOTE: The flesh of the squash shrinks when baked, forming a larger hole in the flesh which then acts as your nifty bowl. The roasted squash tastes fabulous when scooped up with spoonfuls of the beet soup. This is a terrific and festive soup that will bring much accolades at both your Thanksgiving and Christmas tables!
ENJOY!
PS – This soup can be made 3 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator, covered. I’m all about makin’ it easy on game day so get cookin’ early!
PSS – I am a longtime lover of Better Than Bouillon. Those folks don’t know I have been harboring a love for their product for time and eternity, but I wish they did;)
PSSS – Save your beet greens. They are super yummy just sauteed in a little olive oil and dusted with salt & pepper. They are mighty good for you too.
I have a real affection for beets. Do you like beets too?
- For Roasted Squash
- 6 (2 lb.) Acorn Squash
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Pepper
- For Soup
- 1 Large Red Onion, diced
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 8 Medium Size Beets, (about 3 lbs without the greens)peeled and cut into 1" pieces
- 2 Red Apples, (Gala or Braeburn) peeled, cored and cut into 1" pieces
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 12 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ginger, Grated
- ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Wash acorn squash. Cut off tops & remove stems.
- Cut squash down the middle, horizontally, making 2 bowls.
- Scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Cut a very thin slice off the bottoms of the squash to create a stable base.
- Brush squash bowls with olive oil inside and out.
- Sprinkle inside flesh with salt and pepper.
- Arrange squash in baking pans and roast until flesh is tender, about 1-1/4 hours.
- Make soup while squash bowls are roasting:
- Cook onion in oil in a large stock pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until tender.
- Add beets and apples and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add broth then simmer uncovered until beets and apples are tender, about 40 minutes.
- Stir in vinegar and brown sugar.
- Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Use caution when blending hot liquids.
- Transfer soup to stock pot and add fresh ginger and cayenne pepper.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If soup is too thick, add chicken stock to thin.
- Reheat just before serving.
- Serve soup in roasted squash bowls.
- Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a fresh sage leaf.
So there you have it: BEET SOUP IN ROASTED ACORN SQUASH BOWL
All opinions expressed in this post are my own. All photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
