Red Kuri Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Apple

Name: Red Kuri Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Apple
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 pounds Red Kuri or 11/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups), seeds reserved; 1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 1 ancho chile—stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces; 1 medium apple—peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; Salt; Freshly ground pepper; 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional); Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

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“Kuri squash has a unique, concentrated sweet flavor that’s beautiful in soup,” says Rick Bayless, chef at Frontera Grill in Chicago. (Butternut is a fine substitute.) He adds more layers of flavor with apple, cinnamon and raisiny ancho chile, and even blends in the squash seeds for nuttiness. Slideshow: More Warming Soup RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine Chefs' Easy Weeknight Dinners.

By

Rick Bayless

Published on December 30, 2015

Red Kuri Squash Soup with Ancho Chile and Apple — “Kuri squash has a unique, concentrated sweet flavor that’s beautiful in soup,” says star chef Rick Bayless. As a master of Mexican cuisine, he adds more layers of flavor with apple, cinnamon and raisiny ancho chile, and even blends in the squash seeds for nuttiness. If you can't find kuri squash, butternut will do the trick. Photo: Fredrika Stjärne

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Yield:

4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds Red Kuri or 11/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups), seeds reserved
1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 ancho chile—stemmed, seeded and torn into 1-inch pieces
1 medium apple—peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Directions

In a large soup pot, melt the butter. Add the squash seeds and onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden brown and the seeds are starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chile and toast until fragrant and pliable, about 1 minute. Add the squash, apple, cinnamon and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the squash is very tender, about 25 minutes.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, then serve, garnished with pumpkin seeds.

Make Ahead

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.