A standard for Fall with the addition of a few “cheat” ingredients.
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 leek
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 cups peeled butternut squash
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato (this type of potato is a must due to it’s unique starch)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp thyme (or a sprig if you have fresh)
- 6 cups shrimp stock (make your own jabroni)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 dash nutmeg
- S & P
- 1 lb high quality shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 1 green onion
- drumroll……….3 slices of bacon
The bacon makes this pop. Dice it up first, drop it in the cooking bowl on medium and cook till done and crispy. Remove from the pot and leave the rendered fat. Yup.
You’re going to put all of this in a blender at some point, so a rough chop is fine. Assume all vegetables mentioned below have been rough chopped.
- Following your bacon goodness, melt the butter in the pot and add the onion, leeks (minus about 4 inches of the top, that part get stringy – use it to make your stock), celery, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until everyone has become friends and add in the squash and potatoes. Cook for somewhere around 10-15 minutes until everything has softened a bit.
- Add the bay leaf (not chopped), thyme (not chopped if you’re using a sprig) and cream to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boil is achieved lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme (if you sprig…ged) and puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Once smooth, return to the pot and add the remaining seasonings as well as the previously cooked bacon. Yum.
- Once seasoning is incorporated, drop in the shrimp and add the green onions. This only needs to cook for 5-10 minutes and you’re ready to plate.