Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with New York Cider & Apple-Filled Cornbread Dumplings

Description

Courtesy of Veronica Callaghan of Hudson, New York

Recipe provided by Veronica Callaghan of Hudson, New York, Winner of the 2018 New York Apple Association’s Apple Recipe Contest.

Ingredients

Soup

  • 4 cup(s) 1-inch diced butternut squash
  • 12 baby carrots
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 tablespoon(s) salt
  • 2 1/2 cup(s) chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup(s) apple cider

Dumplings

  • 1/3 cup(s) coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1 package yellow cornbread mix
  • 1 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon(s) dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon(s) dried parsley
  • 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1-2 apples, peeled and small diced, plus additional for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon(s) chili paste (sambal oelek)
  • 1/3 cup(s) sour cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit with a 12-inch cast iron skillet inside.
  2. In a large bowl combine the squash, carrots, onion, oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; toss to completely coat. Pour the mixture into the cast iron skillet in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
  3. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornbread mix, sage, parsley, flour and baking powder. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the apples and the chili paste; stir well to combine.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and heavy cream; transfer to a squeeze bottle.
  5. Using a spatula, transfer the vegetables to a blender container and add the broth and cider; blend for 2-3 minutes until very smooth. Pour soup back into the cast iron pan and place on a burner over medium heat. When soup begins to bubble, drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the soup. Cover skillet and cook for 10 minutes or until dumplings are cooked through. To serve, spoon soup and dumplings into serving bowls and drizzle with the sour cream mixture, then garnish with the chopped pecans and additional diced apples if desired. Makes 4-6 serving.