Thick from a squash base, this bisque is healthy and filling.
Butternut Bisque with Andouille
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow chopped onion
- 1 red pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 green pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces andouille sausage chopped
- 1/2 cup skim milk warmed
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, and place halves in a baking dish, cut sides down.
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Add approximately 1 inch of water, and cover with foil.
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Bake for 1 hour. Allow squash to cool for 15 minutes. Remove and discard seeds.
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Scrape out flesh, and purée.
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Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté for 5 minutes.
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Add peppers, and sauté for another 2 minutes.
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Add sugar, and stir well.
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Add chicken broth and puréed squash, stirring to thoroughly combine.
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In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, cook sausage until browned.
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Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, and blot to remove excess grease.
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Add sausage to soup.
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When soup is heated through, add warmed milk, and stir well.
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Season with salt and pepper, if needed
With the chilliness of fall upon us, dinner thoughts have changed from light dinners of salad to warm meals, such as soup. Last Friday was one of those chilly, gray days, the sort of day where you wish you didn’t have to leave the house. Of course, that wouldn’t be happening in our home with an orthodontist’s appointment, karate lesson, and extra gymnastics class. However, enjoying some piping hot soup before our evening of playing taxi would help.
Our basement freezer typically is filled with an assortment of meat from our favorite butcher. So, before I headed to my office to work, I looked to see what sort of meat would inspire our soup. Spying a package of andouille sausage, I decided to create a new soup for us.
As andouille has a spicy bite, it seemed best to pair it with something that would provide a nice contrast. I also wanted to make a soup that was hearty but not heavy. Butternut squash seemed like the perfect match. Slightly sweet and easily pureed, it would make a great base for the soup.
Making the soup I debated ways to maximize the soup’s appeal with minimal effort. The addition of red and green peppers gave the soup a beautiful variety of colors and a different layer of texture. The small amount of brown sugar helped intensify the natural sweetness of the squash. Finally, the milk made the soup even creamier while keeping it low in fat. Of course, if you prefer a richer soup, whole milk or cream could be used.
