Recipe: Squash and Apple Soup

With the Pacific Natural Foods chicken stock I bought this weekend and leeks from the garden, I made one of my favorite fall soup recipes.

This is a really easy recipe to make vegetarian. Simply use olive oil instead of the bacon and either vegetable stock or no chicken stock.

Squash and Apple Soup

Serves 4-6

1 large leek roughly chopped (2 medium onions if you don't have leeks)
2 medium delicata squash (butternut squash works too) - peeled, seeds removed, roughly chopped
2 pieces of uncured bacon
1 apple (Granny Smith is best, but any type will do) - peeled, cored and roughly chopped
4 cups stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a frying pan cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat to a large stock pot. Dry bacon on paper towels and reserve for a topping. 
2. In the stock pot, saute the leeks for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add the squash, apple, thyme, bay leaf, pepper flakes and stock. Add water if the stock does not cover the ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is soft.
4. Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Either using a blender working in batches or with an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Crumble bacon pieces on top and serve with crusty bread.