Perfect Fall Recipe: Cider and Squash Soup

Photo courtesy of Nora Rice and Jenna Rice.

As the leaves turn and the air gets cooler, there’s nothing better than a bowl of comforting, hot soup. Check out the recipe below for Cider and Squash Soup from the newest book The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook.

Featuring recipes focused on fresh, local ingredients, this cookbook invites readers to savor the bounty of the Green Mountain State. Chef Nora Rice and photographer Jenna Rice, sisters and Vermont natives, combine their years of homegrown knowledge to create a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

Cider and Squash Soup

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash
2 large carrots
2 small white onions
3–4 cloves garlic
10 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons ghee, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup hard cider
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup crème fraîche

To Garnish
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Peel the butternut squash and carrots and chop into 1-inch cubes.

3. Peel the onions and chop into large chunks.

4. Peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole.

5. Mix together the chopped squash, carrots, onion, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs. Toss with 2 tablespoons melted ghee, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread across 2 baking sheets and roast at 400°F for 45 minutes.

6. Once roasted, remove the thyme sprigs. Place the remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

7. Add the hard cider and boil until reduced by ¾. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the crème fraîche.

8. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Season to taste.

9. To serve, garnish with crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds.

For more information on the book and the authors, check out vermontfarmtotable.net.

The Vermont Farm to Table Cookbook
Written by Nora Rice & Jenna Rice
978-1-961293-31-1, $25.00 hardcover
978-1-961293-32-8, $9.99 eBook

Published by Hatherleigh Press.
Distributed through Penguin Random House.
Available wherever books are sold.
www.hatherleighpress.com