One of my favorite traditions on Halloween is to have a pot of delicious soup simmering on the stove, ready to warm the bellies of your family and friends before a crisp fall night of fun and frolic. Or after a night of fun and frolic. Or both. This recipe is so incredibly savory and sturdy, it's the perfect balance for an evening filled with candy, candy, candy. Start making it early and let it simmer all day long, filling your house with an aroma to die for. When mealtime arrives, pair the soup with some delicious foccacia bread.
Butternut Squash and Mushroom Soup
1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 white onion, halved
olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt
pepper
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese (or heavy cream)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place both squashes on a cookie sheet as well as the onion halves. Drizzle them all with olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the brown sugar on the onion. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and roast for 90 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Scoop the soft squash from the rind into a crock pot or dutch oven. Add the onions, chicken broth, and mushrooms, then simmer on low for at least an hour (all day tastes even better), stirring occasionally.
Before serving, use a blender to completely emulsify the soup. Stir in the mascarpone cheese as well as salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with fresh foccacia bread and parmesan cheese.
Flawless Foccacia Bread
(found on
Marta Writes)
2 cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast (not instant)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
Toppings
1/2 cup butter, melted
garlic salt
Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
In small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Blend together remaining 1 1/2 cup warm water, dissolved yeast, sugar, flour and salt in mixer bowl. Combine well. Mix in Italian seasonings. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise to double or more (about an hour).
Grease a 9x13 pan. Scoop dough into prepared pan, dough will be very sticky. You'll be tempted, but don't add any extra flour. Butter your clean hands and coax the dough into all the edges of the pan. Let dough rise again for 20 minutes, meanwhile preheat oven to 400. Before baking, poke indents in the focaccia with your fingers. Drizzle melted butter over the top of the bread. Sprinkle some garlic salt over the top and add a couple handfuls of Parmesan cheese. Bake 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares or breadsticks.
