Weekend Cooking: Butternut Bisque

Spring begins in 25 days... at least according to the calendar. It's been a long, tough winter for much of the country and, if you're like me, a warm bowl of soup is the ultimate comfort food. This year I've been on a quest to find the perfect butternut squash soup. I've tried it curried and smoked, with added leeks, parsnips, and even sweet potatoes. There wasn't a bad recipe in the bunch, but it finally dawned on me that I was really seeking a more basic, old-fashioned taste... no coconut milk or cilantro, please.

I turned to my older cookbooks and found just what I was looking for in Heart of the Home by Susan Branch. Originally published in 1986, it's been on my shelf for well over twenty years. With Branch's signature style, illustrations, and fonts, I enjoy reading her books as much as cooking from them. If you're not familiar with Branch's work, check out her blog to see what I mean.

This Butternut Bisque uses carrots, onion, celery, and potatoes along with the butternut squash. The recipe does not use cream (who needs the added calories and fat?) and is seasoned with a little curry powder and a pinch of nutmeg and ginger. Simple and delicious!

The recipe was featured on Branch's blog a couple of years ago; the same image appears in the cookbook. I enjoy reading her blog on a regular basis. You might, too.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.