Velvet Orange Autumn Soup

This is probably one of my favorite autumn soups. Warm, creamy, soothing, and so simple to make. This is one of those rare recipes that I actually repeat – I make it almost every fall. Several of you may remember it!

I have replaced the butternut squash with sweet potatoes before, but I think my favorite version is with butternut squash. Likewise, I’ve used different kinds of apples, but some kind of green apple seems to be the best. I got this recipe originally from some television show about some country hotel on the east coast – the chef at the hotel made a version of this dish. He strained the soup at the end and added a touch of maple syrup, if I recall. I omit those two steps, but it would certainly make the soup even more velvety and sweeter than it already is. If you try it, let me know.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 T butter (depending on your pot)

1 cup each of the following chopped vegetables:

butternut squash

rutabaga

carrot

green apple

onion

celery

sweet paprika

vegetable broth (I used 1 Rapunzel’s veggie bouillion cube and approx. 2 ½ cups water)

nutmeg

Melt the butter in a medium sized soup pot. Sautee the onions over medium heat for just a minute or two and then add the rest of the vegetables, adding the apple last. When the vegetables begin to soften, add just a dash of paprika. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables, put a lid on the soup, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until all vegetables are soft. Allow to cool and puree in a blender. I use a Vitamix, so it makes a perfectly creamy, lump free soup. If your soup is not creamy enough, you can strain it.

Return the puree to the pot. Bring to a simmer and grate some fresh nutmeg into the soup.

I serve this with multi-grain bread and butter and a good fall salad. The most recent salad I made with it was greens, walnuts, some other veggies, fresh dill, basil, parsley, and cherry-vanilla balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve also served it as a first course to many wonderful fall meals.