Recipe #32: Roasted Apple & Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon & Sherry

I remember having my first taste of butternut squash soup.   It was back in 1989 and my late husband and I were staying at the Westin in Whistler, B.C.  I thought it was the most heavenly thing I had ever had, with its sublte notes of sherry and nutmeg.  I decided to play around with different flavors and came up with this a few years ago.  This was also at the time when bacon was really coming into favor with a lot of foods, so I threw it into this as well. 

2 gala or golden delicious apples, peeled,             1 butternut squash, a little over 2 1/2 lbs, halved
   cored and chopped                                                        lengthwise, fibers and seeds removed
4 pieces of bacon                                                        1 onion, chopped
4 cups chicken stock                                                  1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup dry sherry                                                      1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg, divided

In a large sided baking pan, add about 1/4 cup water and place squash face down.  In a small bowl, mix apples with 1 tbsp. canola oil and 1/8 tsp of the nutmeg.  Place on small cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place both pans in a 375 oven.  Bake squash about 45-55 minutes, or until tender.  Bake apples for about 20 minutes, or until you can put a knife through.  Remove both from oven and cool.  Scoop out flesh from squash and place in a bowl.  You will need about 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups.  In large saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon until just before browned.  Add the onions and cook until tender...5-7 minutes.  Transfer bacon/onion mixture to food processor.  Add squash and puree until smooth.  Place mixture back into saucepan and on medium-low heat, add the chicken stock and stir.  Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.  Stir in the half and half, sherry and the other 1/8 tsp nutmeg.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bon appetit!

I grated some fresh nutmeg around the bowl, and had some caramelized onions left over from making another recipe, so placed in the middle of the soup for presentation...