(Paleo) Butternut Squash Soup With Bacon and Little neck Clams
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8+ as a first course
 
The soup is beautiful with or without the clams and bacon!
Ingredients
Soup
  • 8 cups 1" cubed butternut or other squash. Pumpkin works, too
  • 1 large sweet onion (yellow or vidalia)
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 3 sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh sage (like 8 or so leaves)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • Salt and Pepper
Clams with Bacon
  • 3-4 Little Neck Clams per dinner guest (so 4 guests, 12-16 clams, depending on budget/taste of the guests)
  • 3 Strips of thick cut bacon, applewood smoked if available
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • ½ cup of dry white wine
The portions of bacon/wine/shallot given are for 6 servings. Multiply the recipe for additional servings.
Equiptment
  • Large Stock pot, or heavy bottomed enameled pot
  • Blender or Immersion Blender
Instructions
For the Soup:
  1. Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot over medium heat
  2. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onions have softened, 2-3 minutes
  3. Add the squash and give it a solid few stirs to get it all mixed up
  4. Add the water and stock
  5. Tie the thyme and sage together into a small bundle using kitchen twine, and drop it into the pot
  6. Allow to simmer over medium heat until the squash is very tender. Time varies depending on how hard your squash is- as few as 35 minute and up to 45ish. Test done-ness with a fork; if the squash cubes easily come apart, it is done.
  7. Remove the Thyme and Sage
  8. Allow to cool slightly, and blend very thoroughly using the immersion blender. Blend beyond what looks blended for the best texture.
  9. Alternatively, you can use a traditional blender. Cool the soup a bit more, then blend the soup in batches, pouring the blended soup into another pot.
  10. Taste the blended soup for salt and pepper- you will likely need to add a tablespoon of salt (hey! it's a lot of soup!) and add pepper to taste.
  11. Keep warm until service. The soup freezes exceptionally well at this point, and can be thawed in the fridge and then re-heated on the stove.
For the Clams and Bacon
  1. Soak the clams in fresh water for 30 minutes or so to allow the clams to give up any sand they may have
  2. Scrub the shells to make sure they aren't sandy/dirty
  3. Cut the Bacon into lardons- ¼ inch slices
  4. Mince the shallot and garlic
  5. Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat- add the bacon and allow it to render all of its fat
  6. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and place it onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the fat
  7. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan with the bacon drippings and cook until the shallot is translucent- 3-4 minutes
  8. Add the clams and the wine, bring the wine to a boil and cover the pan.
  9. Cook the clams until they open up, 5-8 or so minutes. If the clams are not all open cover the pan again and cook for another few minutes. Check the clams every minute after 6 minutes; discard any clams that do not open readily after 10 minutes.
To Serve:
  1. Ladle soup into wide bowls
  2. Spoon 3-4 clams into the center of the bowl
  3. Sprinkle bacon over the clams and spoon some of the liquid from the pan over the clams.
  4. Garnish with fresh sage
Recipe by The Fast and the Foodiest at http://new.fastandfoodiest.com/?p=99