This acorn squash sat in my fridge for almost 2 weeks because I couldn't decide what to do with it. I usually enjoy squash roasted in the oven or cooked on the stove and used as a substitute for mashed potatoes. This time, I decided to make a bisque with it. Here's the recipe.
1 acorn squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 large russet or Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
4 C vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf
milk
1 T butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
First, raw acorn squashes are almost impossible to peel successfully, so you're better off cooking it in the microwave and scooping out the flesh. Poke several holes in it using the tip of a knife. Microwave it on a paper towel until it's soft. The time will vary according to how powerful your microwave is. It took 20 minutes in mine. I cooked it on high power for 5 minutes, rotated it, then cooked it another 5 minutes, and so on until it was very soft and the sides collapsed when I touched it. Set that aside to cool a few minutes. Then cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then scoop the flesh free of the peel and put in a bowl.
Cook the chopped onion in the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until softened and golden. Add the potato and broth. Bring to a boil. Add the squash and the herbs. Stir to break up the squash and distribute it evenly throughout the broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, 15-20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Use a blender to puree the soup, adding milk to thin it, if desired. I can't give you an exact amount of milk because it depends on how thick you prefer your bisque to be. Start with half a cup and go from there. I probably used an entire cup of milk to get my bisque to the consistency I wanted. Finally, if you want this soup to be really rich and decadent, add 1 T butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
1 acorn squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 large russet or Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
4 C vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf
milk
1 T butter (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
First, raw acorn squashes are almost impossible to peel successfully, so you're better off cooking it in the microwave and scooping out the flesh. Poke several holes in it using the tip of a knife. Microwave it on a paper towel until it's soft. The time will vary according to how powerful your microwave is. It took 20 minutes in mine. I cooked it on high power for 5 minutes, rotated it, then cooked it another 5 minutes, and so on until it was very soft and the sides collapsed when I touched it. Set that aside to cool a few minutes. Then cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then scoop the flesh free of the peel and put in a bowl.
Cook the chopped onion in the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until softened and golden. Add the potato and broth. Bring to a boil. Add the squash and the herbs. Stir to break up the squash and distribute it evenly throughout the broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, 15-20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Use a blender to puree the soup, adding milk to thin it, if desired. I can't give you an exact amount of milk because it depends on how thick you prefer your bisque to be. Start with half a cup and go from there. I probably used an entire cup of milk to get my bisque to the consistency I wanted. Finally, if you want this soup to be really rich and decadent, add 1 T butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
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