FFWD Spiced Squash, Fennel, and Pear Soup

Delicious! Absolutely delicious!

It really is.... and if none of the other recipes that have been featured in French Fridays with Dorie so far have not enticed you to buy Around My French Table, this one to me is worth the whole book.

I have tried several different butternut squash soup recipes this season including Giada DeLaurentiis's recipe made by my great friend Bob. But this has to be the best one so far!

The ingredients alone intrigued me: butternut squash, fennel, pears, shallots, garlic, and the spices!

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

Week 20 of 50 Women Game Changers in Food, and we honor yet another blogger!  Obviously the internet has had a definite impact on the culinary world not only by giving us easy access to a vast variety of recipes at our fingers tips but the ability to share and swap recipes with people from all over the world.  Molly Wizenberg has found a niche for herself through her food blog Orangette.  She has delicious recipes, amazing pictures, and her stories will get you hooked on her blog. 

I had a hard time deciding which of her recipes to make for this post, they all sounded so good. However, when my boys asked me to make this soup again in the same week I knew I had picked a definite winner!

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

If possible, make this soup a day or two ahead; its flavors meld and deepen after a day or so of sitting in the fridge.


¼ cup olive oil
1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 flavorful apples, preferably Gala, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
¾ tsp curry powder
¾ tsp ground mace
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 cup good-quality apple cider
1 quart chicken stock (vegetable works fine as well)
½ tsp salt
¼ freshly ground pepper, preferably white

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the squash, apples, and onion, and stir to coat with oil.


Sauté uncovered, stirring occasionally, for ten to fifteen minutes, or until onion is transparent.

Stir in the mace, curry, and cardamom, and continue cooking until the onion begins to brown.

Add the cider. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for three minutes. Add the stock, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer the mixture, partially covered, for another 35 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Working in batches, blend mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth (be careful to not overfill, as hot liquid could expand when machine is switched on, making a huge, burning-hot mess). Return soup to the stockpot. Reduce the soup, uncovered, over medium-low heat, to about one-fourth. Stir occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Serves 4-5.

For other great recipes by Molly Wizenberg, please visit the rest of our group:

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets 
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living 
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof