(Paleo) Butternut Squash Soup With Bacon and Little neck Clams
Author: Kristina Scaviola
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:
Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot over medium heat
Add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onions have softened, 2-3 minutes
Add the squash and give it a solid few stirs to get it all mixed up
Add the water and stock
Tie the thyme and sage together into a small bundle using kitchen twine, and drop it into the pot
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.
Remove the Thyme and Sage
Allow to cool slightly, and blend very thoroughly using the immersion blender. Blend beyond what looks blended for the best texture.
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.
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.
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
Soak the clams in fresh water for 30 minutes or so to allow the clams to give up any sand they may have
Scrub the shells to make sure they aren't sandy/dirty
Cut the Bacon into lardons- ¼ inch slices
Mince the shallot and garlic
Heat a medium pan over medium-high heat- add the bacon and allow it to render all of its fat
Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and place it onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the fat
Add the shallot and garlic to the pan with the bacon drippings and cook until the shallot is translucent- 3-4 minutes
Add the clams and the wine, bring the wine to a boil and cover the pan.
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:
Ladle soup into wide bowls
Spoon 3-4 clams into the center of the bowl
Sprinkle bacon over the clams and spoon some of the liquid from the pan over the clams.
Garnish with fresh sage
Recipe by The Fast and the Foodiest at http://new.fastandfoodiest.com/?p=99