Butternut Squash & Celeriac Soup

I have a confession. I let far too much food go to waste. I often go to the grocery store with no list or a plan for what I want to cook and I end up with a full fridge but no definitive plans for the items I stuff in there. You see, I love grocery shopping. I feel all giddy and inspired by what I see there and end up buying more than we need for the week. Since I don’t have a plan, 3 o’clock rolls around and nothing has been taken out of the freezer, or the baby has kept me busy all day as the little stinkers are apt to do, and I end up making grilled cheese for my 5 year old.

I’m also a fairweather cook. If I am in a good mood, I’m inspired to make new recipes, whip up a family favourite, or try a recipe from one of my abundant cookbooks. If I am in a funk then I don’t give a toss about food and eat only enough to assuage my hunger. I make food for my son and ensure that I cut up some vegetables and give him some fruit along side his macaroni and cheese. On the days that I’m in one of those moods, my full fridge taunts me. Not in a funny, Monty Python sort of way, but in a way that weighs heavily on my already bad mood. I feel pressure to make something creative and delicious.

I get very angry with myself for throwing food/money away when what I buy doesn’t get eaten. It is such a terrible waste to throw out what was perfectly good food. I’m determined to plan better so that we don’t resort to take-out and I don’t throw good food away. Sure I blog, but whether I like it or not, I am essentially a housewife and that is my job for now. Part of that role is to provide meals for the family.

This soup made me feel like I have it together. Both the butternut squash and celeriac were on their last legs and were heading to the trash if I didn’t do something with them. These kinds of blended soups are really easy to throw together. I wanted to keep the flavouring simple this time but a little garam masala or other spice blend would add nice variety.

Leave your tips in the comments for how you keep food waste to a minimum.

Butternut Squash & Celeriac Soup

Christina Austin

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 small shallots or 1 large one roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 cups butternut squash
• 1 small celeriac celery root, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1 small apple peeled
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves fresh or dried
• 1/3 cup whipping cream 35% cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large heavy bottomed pot (such as a cast iron enamelled dutch oven), heat the olive oil over a medium heat and sauté the chopped shallots and garlic with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
• Peel and chop the butternut squash, apple, and celeriac.
• Once the shallot and garlic have softened, pour in the white wine. Let that bubble for a minute or so and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula.
• Pour in the chicken broth and add the butternut squash, apple, celeriac, and bay leaves. Add another good pinch of salt. Put the lid on and let the soup simmer for a half hour or until the butternut squash and celeriac are very soft.
• Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup with a stick (hand held) blender or a regular countertop blender.
• Add the cream and check the seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a garnish of chopped apple and pumpkin seeds.