Ingredients:

1 medium acorn squash, quartered, seeds removed*
oil, as needed
salt and pepper, as needed
oil, as needed
1 cup onions, peeled and diced
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup celery, diced
3 apples of your choice, such as Cortland, McIntosh, etc., peeled, cored and diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sherry wine
1 quart chicken stock or chicken broth, low sodium
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup NY State Maple Syrup
salt and pepper, to taste
splash cider vinegar, to taste (for flavor enhancement)
NY State Maple Sugar, as needed for garnish

Directions
Place the acorn squash quarters on an oiled sheet tray, drizzle squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the entire tray with foil and bake in a 425°F oven for about 30 minutes or until starting to turn tender. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh from squash skin. Discard skins.

Heat a rondo over high heat until hot. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and sauté the onions, carrots and celery until onions are translucent and caramelized. Add the apples and garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more. Add the sherry wine and bring to a boil. Reduce by half. Add stock and bring to a boil. Let mixture simmer until apples and carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Add roasted squash. Finish with heavy cream, NY State Maple Syrup, salt and pepper to taste. For flavor enhancement, add a splash of cider vinegar to the soup and stir well.

Puree the soup with a stick blender, regular blender or in a high quality food processor until very smooth. Ladle soup into baked warm bowls and sprinkle with a little maple sugar. Serve.

*If desired, wash the acorn squash seeds under cold water, sprinkle with salt then spread on a sheet tray and roast in a 275°F oven until dried and crispy, about 40-50 minutes. Serve atop soup with maple sugar.

Yield: Serves 8

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Last updated September 15, 2009