Butternut Squash Soup with Apples and Bacon (Gluten-Free)

Butternut squash soup is one of my perennial favorites. Rich, silky, savory and delicious, butternut squash soup lends itself well to various modifications.

In this case, we've added bacon and a Granny Smith apple to help an already delicious soup to turn a few corners.

This recipe yields a wonderful soup that will delight lovers of traditional butternut squash soup, and maybe even win you some new converts.

Ingredients:
6 strips bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), chopped
½ large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
½ cup apple cider
1 quart gluten-free chicken stock
¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
½ cup sour cream
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground allspice
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a large bowl, drizzle squash cubes with olive oil, mix until well-coated, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 375 degrees (195 degrees C), and roast squash on a single layer on a baking pan, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized. About 30 to 40 minutes.

Cook the bacon in a large soup pot on medium-high for about 10 minutes, until evenly browned. Place cooked bacon on a plate, keeping the bacon drippings in the pot.

Add the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, cumin, allspice, thyme, and salt and pepper to the soup pot, and cook on medium-high in bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft.

Mix in the apples and cooked squash and cook another 5 minutes.

Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook about another minute.

Pour the apple cider over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

Stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for another 20 minutes.

Pureé the soup in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender.

If using a regular blender, please be careful! Don't fill the blender more than half-way, or you risk scalding yourself if the liquid escapes while blending.

Tip: When blending hot liquids, be sure to remove the center lid piece of a stand blender so the steam can escape.

Cover the hole with a dish towel while blending. Stir the nutmeg into the soup.

Once the soup is blended and smooth, spoon into serving bowls and garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and some of the bacon pieces. Be sure to remove fresh thyme springs before serving.

Serve with your favorite toasted gluten-free bread, or a delicious salad, for a wonderful meal.