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We're deep in the heart of soup season, and I couldn't be more thrilled. We're also still in the thick of squash season, which makes me even happier.
In my experience, many people consider butternut squash just a fall vegetable and only cook with it during the holidays. For me, though, butternut squash season lasts all winter long. I'm a butternut-loving freak from September through March...sometimes even into April! Wild and crazy things happen in my kitchen when the squash comes out.
One of my favorite things about squash is that it can take on both sweet and savory flavors. I love to combine it with caramelized onions and spicy garlic sauce, or mix it with tons of cheese, or even top it with a casserole of sugary candied pecans. I knew if I cooked some squash down until tender, with a few chopped Royal Riviera Pears, the result would be a delicious sweet and savory soup.
Garnished with a few drops of cream and some super thinly sliced scallions, this gourmet soup is the perfect winter meal.
SERVINGS
- Slow Cooker
- Immersion blender
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots (diced)
- 1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 4 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
- 1 ½ cups Harry & David® Royal Riviera® Pears (cubed)
- 12 teaspoon salt
- 12 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 23 cup heavy cream (plus extra for drizzling)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
Add the olive oil, shallots, garlic, squash, and pear cubes to your slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the stock and cover, cooking on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the pears and squash are super tender.
Take an immersion blender and gently blend the contents of the soup until creamy and pureed. If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully scoop the contents into a blender and blend until pureed. And if you have neither, use a whisk and work those forearms.
Keep the soup on the warm setting and stir in the cream. Taste and season additionally if desired.
To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with an extra dollop of cream. Top with the sliced green onions and serve.
AUTHOR
Jessica Merchant is a full-time recipe developer and food writer who is intensely passionate about food and writing, and loves to share her food through her blog How Sweet Eats. Bacon makes her beam. Chocolate makes her shout from the rooftops with joy. Vegetables are her biggest frenemy (her perfect world would include none of them).