Emeril's Butternut Squash And Apple Soup

Ingredients

Cooking Directions

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease. Set the bacon aside and, when cool, crumble the bacon and reserve to garnish the soup. In a heavy saucepan heat the reserved grease over medium heat, add the onion, leek, garlic and bay leaf and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until softened. Add the squash, apple, broth and 1/2 cup water. Simmer the mixture, covered, until the squash is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

In a blender, puree the mixture in batches, transferring as it is pureed to a clean saucepan. Add enough additional water to thin soup to the desired consistency, if necessary. Whisk in the sour cream or creme fraiche and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup over medium-low heat until hot (do not allow the soup to boil). Serve the soup garnished with the crumbled bacon and a dollop of sour cream and finely chopped apple, if desired.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Inc