Autumn means lots of hearty soups to stave off the cold, damp weather. And, inspired by seasonal squash and prepared chestnuts that I found at local-to-me The Quail & Olive, I decided to make a comforting, filling soup on this chilly day. Because I used rice as a thickener, this is gluten-free...and, by using olive oil instead of butter, it is also dairy-free. Win, win for anyone at your Thanksgiving table with those restrictions.
Ingredients
serves 2, if using the acorn squash as serving bowls plus leftover
3 organic acorn squash
olive oil for roasting (I used the Roasted Garlic Olive Oil)
4 Tablespoons Butter Flavor Olive Oil
1 organic white onion, peeled and diced (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup diced organic celery
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
2 cups prepared chestnuts (Matiz brand in the pantry section of the store)
1 cup rice (I used an organic jasmine rice)
freshly ground salt
freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (Runamok brand in the pantry section of the store)
1 to 2 Tablespoons Winter Ambrosia Vinegar
5 to 6 cups warm water
Procedure
Squash
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the top and bottom of the two squash you are going to use as a serving bowl. Slice the third one in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and strands. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Invert all of them onto your baking dish or a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until tender, approximately for 60 to 75 minutes.
Soup
In a large souppot or a Dutch oven, pour in the Butter Flavor Olive Oil. Stir in onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until the onions begin to soften. Add in the rice and chestnuts. Stir to coat until glossy. Scoop in the flesh the roasted acorn squash that you aren't using as a serving bowl.
Add in water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by one half. Using a blender or food process, blend - in batches - until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in maple syrup and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon soup into roasted squash bowls. Sprinkle with more ground pepper. Serve immediately.
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