Autumn Butternut Soup

Yesterday we made a visit to our local Tanaka Farms to hand pick vegetables for soup. After walking through the corn maze we headed over to where we saw the green tops. The children enjoyed the farm land, pulling the carrots and onions right from the earth. The carrots were so loose in the ground and came out with such ease, unlike our carrots at home where we struggled and pulled and tugged just to have them break in two!

VEGETABLES

by Eleanor Farjeon

The country vegetables scorn

To lie about in shops,

They stand upright as they were born

In neatly-patterned crops;

And when you want your dinner you

Don’t buy it from a shelf,

You find a lettuce fresh with dew

And pull it for yourself;

You pick an apronful of peas

And shell them on the spot.

You cut a cabbage, if you please,

To pop into the pot.

The folk who their potatoes buy

From sacks before they sup,

Miss half of the potato’s joy,

And that’s to dig it up.

When leaving the farm late yesterday afternoon, the weather became cooler, more dry, and windy. The leaves were falling from the trees… Perfect weather for making soup!

After art class today, we journeyed to the market to purchase the other ingredients we needed to make our soup. We first picked out our butternut squash, celery, garlic, and fresh sage. Then over to the canned section for the vegetable stock, tomato paste, and white beans. Lastly, in our basket came breakfast sausage and Romano cheese. We have the basics on hand, water, oil, kosher salt, and ground pepper.

My little man offered to wash the dirt off the vegetables we pulled up and picked yesterday.

And both asked, “Mama, may I cut the vegetables?”

The carrots, celery, onions, and garlic were cooked in olive oil for a few minutes, then the rest of the ingredients were added (not the cheese and sausage yet!). Once the butternut squash was soft, after about 20 minutes, I added the cheese and mashed the soup till smooth, but chunky, then added the browned crumbled sausage. Our rustic, rich and creamy Autumn soup was enjoyed by the entire family!