I’m well known for my love of soups.

They are just so soul satisfying and really hard to mess up—especially the ones I make.

This one is based on a broccoli bisque a friend told me about from the Paleo diet (and you should feel free to sub broccoli for the squash for a whole different, wonderful flavor).

I tried it with squash because, as usual, I had a big old butternut rolling around on the counter with nowhere to go—and man, did it taste great! Simple, yet sophisticated enough to serve to your most discerning guests.

Toss a big green salad and grab a loaf of crusty bread with some olive oil for dipping and you’ve got dinner for eight in about a half an hour.

Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Bisque

(Serves eight)

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed. (If you are in a hurry, many stores like Trader Joe’s sell pre-prepped squash; you’ll need three to four bags.)

2 sweet apples, any kind, seeded and chopped

3 leeks, washed, trimmed and sliced

4 shallots, peeled and chopped

1 tbl coconut oil

5-6 cups vegetable broth

1 can light coconut milk

1 tbl curry

lots of fresh cracked black pepper

sea salt to taste

In a dutch oven or big pot, heat coconut oil until melted. Sauté leeks and shallots with a dash of salt until soft on medium heat, about five minutes. Add all other ingredients except coconut milk. Make sure liquid just covers everything—if it doesn’t, add a little more broth or water until it does.

Bring up to boil then lower to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add coconut milk. Using an immersion blender or a blender, blend soup until smooth. Check and adjust spices as needed. Garnish with a few thinly sliced leeks or finely chopped apples if desired.

 

 

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Author: Erica Leibrandt

Editor: Travis May

Photo: Host the Toast