Butternut Squash Soup with Cranberry Puree

Savory, sweet and tart, this soup will impress your guests and highlights the fall season bounty.

Ingredients: Soup:

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/8 tsp. mace
• 1-1/2 tsp. fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• 1 ½ lb. butternut squash, peeled, chopped into one-inch cubes
• ½ lb. sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped into one-inch cubes
• 3 pints of chicken broth

Purée

• ½ package of fresh cranberries
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 oz. port wine

Method: Soup:
Heat oil in a large pot. Saute onion and carrot until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients. Cook 20 to 30 minutes or until squash
and potatoes are fork-tender. Purée in a blender.
To serve, ladle soup in a bowl and top with cranberry purée (see recipe below).
Purée:
In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, port wine and syrup. Simmer over
medium heat for 10 minutes, until cranberries burst and the mixture starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, cool slightly and purée in a blender. Place purée back in the pot and
keep warm until you serve.
Serves 6 to 8

Cooking with Janie, Kitchen Barn