To make this a hearty meal, serve alongside a really yummy grilled cheese, I highly recommend using a soft cheese such as Samish Bay’s Ladysmith which we carry in the Farm Market. The creaminess of the cheese will meld really well with the delicate warmth of the soup. Enjoy and let me know what you think! Email me at karif@21acres.org.

Bacon + Butternut Soup with Roasted Radishes
serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. Skagit River Ranch Bacon, chopped into small pieces (You could use less, I like a lot of bacon) 
3 lb. butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped (One large or 2 small) (optional: reserve seeds)
1 large leek, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 quart chicken stock or veggie stock
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp curry powder or 1 tsp red curry paste
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt + pepper

Optional:
Cream or oat milk for serving
Roasted radishes: oil, salt, pepper
Roasted butternut squash seeds: oil, salt, pepper

Directions

I like to make this dish in the instant pot and as always this is optional. If making this on the stove top, be sure to add about 30 minutes of simmering to the total cook time. 

Start by frying the bacon pieces in the instant pot or soup pot. Fry until crispy, set ¾ of it aside and leave ¼ in the pot with the rendered fat. Then add the leek, shallot, bell pepper, paprika, cumin, chili powder, curry powder/paste, some salt, and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash and the chicken stock. Stir and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes or on the stove top for about 30 minutes or until the squash is soft enough to puree. You have the option of letting the instant pot natural or quick release. After releasing the pressure, you have the option of emulsion blending or transferring to a blender and blending the soup until smooth. (I highly recommend blending in a blender if you have one, the creaminess achieved can’t be matched with an emulsion blender!) Serve topped with some cream or milk of your choice, roasted radishes and butternut squash seeds. (Both recipes below)

Directions: Roasted Radishes

While the soup is cooking, start by cutting the greens off the radishes, leaving about 2 inches of the stem on the radish. Clean the radishes really well and cut any large ones in half, so that they are all relatively the same size for roasting. Place on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and roast at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, you want them to start charring. 

Directions: Roasted Butternut Squash Seeds

While the soup is cooking, clean the seeds really well and pat dry with a towel. Add about 1-2 tsp of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 400°F for 5-8 minutes. Make sure to keep a close eye on them, they can burn easily.