Liquid Autumn Soup

Every once in a while, a dish lives up to its name—and then some. ‘Liquid Autumn’ might sound poetic, but one spoonful of this soup and you’ll understand: it’s the very essence of the season in a bowl. Imagine rutabagas, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, and tart Granny Smith apples, all simmered and puréed into a velvety blend. Then stir in heavy cream and just enough maple syrup to whisper, “fall is here.” The result is super silky-smooth and ever so slightly sweet, with each ingredient adding its own note to a rich, harmonious chorus.

Credit for this recipe goes to Joel W, a fellow foodie I first met through work. Our connection quickly veered into culinary territory, and we’ve been sharing recipes ever since. Joel shared this gem with me some time ago, and it resurfaced at just the right moment—when my brother, Geoff T, requested I bring a soup to Thanksgiving. Days later, in a serendipitous twist, I found myself at dinner with Joel in Washington, DC, and he mentioned he’d be making the soup for his own Thanksgiving table. That sealed it.

I couldn’t wait until next fall to share this recipe and I’m sure it will make it into my regular soup rotation. Pro tip: while a food processor, regular blender or immersion blender will do the job, a high-speed blender like a Vitamix gets you that dreamy texture with no need for straining. One batch fits perfectly in a standard Vitamix container, in case you’re a planner like me. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in my 13.25-quart Calphalon pot—then transferred it to my trusty 7.25-quart one for travel (with bungee cords to secure the lid). It’s worth the logistics.

Originally from the famed Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia (a stay and dinner at the 2-star Michelin restaurant are definitely on my bucket list), this soup is proof that even if you can’t make it there just yet, you can still bring a little culinary magic to your table.

Make ahead: If you want to prepare this soup ahead of time, take it through the purée/strain step and then freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup 1 to 2 days before serving. Transfer it to a pot. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring it to a simmer. Why do this? Soups made with heavy cream don’t freeze well.

Isn’t the color fabulous? It could also be called ‘Liquid Gold.’ My family all agreed that this was an amazing soup.

Liquid Autumn Soup

Fall in a Bowl

5 from 1 vote

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Course Side

Servings 6 to 8 servings (~ 3 quarts)

Ingredients

  

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (5 ounces onion), roughly chopped
• 1 cup (6 ounces) Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 1 cup (7 ounces) rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup (5 ounces) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 cup (5 ounces) carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 quart good chicken stock
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• Kosher salt

Instructions

 

• In a large pan or Dutch oven (6 to 7-quarts) over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
• Add the onion, apple, rutabaga, butternut squash, carrots and sweet potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes (don’t rush this step). Stir in 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until all of the produce is cooked through and tender.
• Pour the mixture into a blender, food processor or Vitamix (see Notes for immersion blender option) and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into the same pot you used to cook the produce. (Note if you’re using a Vitamix, you do not need to strain it.)
• Stir in the cream, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt.
• Return the pot to the stove, bring the soup to a simmer, and serve. Add more salt, if needed.
• The soup can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.

Notes

• I added the ‘ounces’ measurements for the produce to make it easier for shopping. Stick to these weights at the grocery store and once peeled (if needed) and chopped it will yield a cup of each. Note that the weight for the apple assumes you’re discarding the core.
• I doubled the recipe and cooked it in my 13.25-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. When it was all done, I transferred it to my 7.25-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven to reheat (and travel with).
• Alternatively you could use an immersion blender but it’s not much of a time saver as you’ll need to strain the puréed mixture from the pot into a bowl and then transfer it back to the pot. I have a Vitamix immersion blender, too, but it doesn’t work as well as the traditional Vitamix blender, and would also need to be strained.
• If you want to prepare this soup more than 2 days in advance, take it through the purée/strain step (step 4), let it cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup 1 to 2 days before serving. Transfer it to a pot. Stir in the cream, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt. Bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat and serve.