Smoked Sausage Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup

Tags: Holidays, rice, sausage, squash

A Little Personal History:

Just a little background how recipe came to be …

Description:

 

Categories:	Soup, Holiday
Servings:	8-12 servings
Time:	– Preparation: 1 hour 30 minutes – Cooking: 15 minutes
Equipment:	Prep: baking sheet, food processor, large sauce pan, large soup pot
Difficulty:	Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 medium butternut squash, about 3 to 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 cups chicken stock
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup wild rice
• 3/4 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• Sea Salt & fresh ground Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender.
4. Remove from the oven and cool completely. If necessary, transfer to bowl and refrigerate while preparing other parts of dish.
5. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth and set aside.
6. In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the stock and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer.
7. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 1hr – 1:15 hrs, stirring occasionally with a fork. Remove the rice from the pan and cool.
8. In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and saute 4 – 6 minutes or until brown.
9. Add the remaining 2 cups of onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
10. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat or scum  that rises to the surface (refer to Cooking Techniques).
11. Stir in the rice and continue to cook on medium-low for 10 minutes.
12. Stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Advanced Preparation:

• Steps 1-10 can be done day before, do steps 11-12, 15 minutes before serving (reheat to a simmer) and serve.
• Steps 6-9 can be done while squash is roasting.

Tips, Notes, and Variations: