Holiday Chef's Corner: Evening Star Cafe's Butternut Squash Soup

If you like to keep busy in the kitchen during the holidays, we have some fun new recipes for you to try out this week thanks to members of Alexandria's culinary community. 

Chef Jim Jeffords of Evening Star Cafe in Del Ray sent in this recipe for his roasted butternut squash soup, currently on the menu at the Mount Vernon Avenue eatery.

Chef Jim Jeffords’ Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 oz. fresh Sliced Ginger
• 2 medium-sized peeled and diced butternut squash 
• 1 quart diced green apple
• 2 oz. sliced shallot 
• 1 oz. sliced garlic
• 1 pint white wine
• 1 quart onion sliced
• 20 ounces apple juice
• 2 quarts vegetable stock 
• 1 pint cream 
• pinch of smoked paprika
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

Toss the diced butternut squash with a little vegetable oil, salt, white pepper and smoked paprika.

Place on a sheet pan and roast in a 350-degree oven until tender to a paring knife.

Separately in a large pot, heat a little vegetable oil to white smoke, add in the diced onion and start to sauté. After a minute or so, add in the sliced garlic and shallot. Cook another few minutes until golden brown.

Add in diced green apple and cook until tender. (Cooking tip: Put diced apple into some lemon water until ready to use to prevent from turning brown.)

Once the apple is cooked, add in the white wine and cook off the alcohol.

Once that is done, add in your roasted butternut squash, vegetable stock and apple juice. Bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Toss in your sliced ginger and puree in batches, preferably with a Vitamix Vita Prep.