Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Winter squash soup with bay scallops

When I made this winter squash dish a few weeks back, I intentionally bought more butternut and kabocha squash than the recipe called for. I used the extra squash to make a really simple soup. I sauteed some shallots in a little olive oil and added cubed squash, salt, pepper and water. I simmered the mixture until the squash was really tender, pureed it in the blender, and then added lemon juice to taste. I froze the soup for later use.

Tonight I pulled the soup out of the freezer and combined it with some bay scallops and bacon to make a great dinner. I cut up the bacon into small pieces and cooked it in a large pan until it was browned and crispy. I removed the bacon from the pan and drained it on some paper towels. I discarded most of the fat left in the pan, leaving just enough to cover the bottom and turned the heat up to high. I threw in the bay scallops and sauteed them until they were just cooked through. The scallops were seasoned with some salt and a squeeze of meyer lemon juice.

To assemble dinner, I ladled some of the thawed and reheated soup into a shallow bowl. I topped the soup with a pile of scallops and some bacon. This was a really nice flavor combination - a little bit of smoke and salt from the bacon, and sweetness from the scallops and winter squash.



39 comments:

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I'm sure this is delicious. What a great idea to add the bay scallops.

Selba said...

I believe everything that got bacon on it, is always yummy :)

Dewi said...

Sara, it's raining and chilly here in my area, so this soup will definitely warm me up. delicious.
Cheers,
Elra

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Oooh, that does look delicious.
What about some chunks of diced sweet potatoes in it?

Judy said...

What a great idea -- scallops and bacon on squash soup. Love it.

The Caked Crusader said...

wow - that looks beautiful. I love scallops but have never cooked them myself

Finla said...

I love scalop and ideas od having them together with thesoup make me drool drool drool.

Robin said...

Now I am wishing I bought that beautiful squash I saw at Trader Joe's yesterday. Kicking myself! But I am going to roast up some cauliflower today- should be good!

Anonymous said...

Kabocha is one of my favorites to have in so many ways.. thank you for visiting.. I have added you to the site = )

So much you can do with winter squash..

Jennifer said...

Girl that looks delish! I just so happen to have a squash in my fridge!

Tanya said...

This is something I've never tried before..looks delicious!

LyB said...

I wouldn't have thought of it but I love the idea of the scallops and the bacon with the soup. It's very creative. :)

Anonymous said...

I love that interplay between smoky salty and sweet flavors in one dish and I could just imagine how wonderful this soup tastes! Excellent recipe.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I can imagine how wonderful this must taste. A very clever combination of flavors. Isn't it wonderful to be able to go to the freezer and pull out something so warm and yummy?

NKP said...

What a great way to dress up a squash soup! Very creative. I have heard great things about bay scallops but haven't tried them yet.

Maria said...

I love that you added scallops! Genius idea!

Culinary Wannabe said...

Cannot go wrong with scallops and bacon!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A delightful soup! I love that combo!

Cheers,

Rosa

Cathy said...

That looks amazing, I'm going to have pick up some squash this weekend!

Thistlemoon said...

Wow, what an interesting soup idea, salty and sweet. Sounds delicious! So creative!

Reeni said...

Your soup looks so delicious!! I would love a nice, warm bowl right about now! Yummy!

Sara said...

Rosie - I think sweet potatoes would definitely work, especially if they were about the same size as the scallops. I considered adding some fresh sage, and then decided against it at the last minute.

nicole said...

Mmmm... this looks delicious.

Cakebrain said...

I love scallops! what a decadent want to gussy up the soup!

The Blonde Duck said...

That looks great! So much fancier than anything I could have come up with!

Anonymous said...

I love scallops with squash puree and I love scallops with bacon...I never thought to put all three together. Can't wait to try this...

Apples and Butter said...

Looks delicious! Bacon in soup is a great idea. If you're down in L.A. you absolutely have to check out Surfas! Either David or Alyson is almost always behind the cheese counter, make sure you stop by and say hello and let me know what you think!

Donna-FFW said...

I love the way you create your own recipes. I wish I had that talent. And your choice of ingredients are always intriguing. I so enjoy your posts.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What an interesting combination. I would have never thought of the squash with the scallops. We love scallops in our kitchen. Thanks for the creative idea.
Sam

Anonymous said...

This looks so good and so simple. I love scallops but rarely cook them, and scallops is a local specialty of where I live. This soup is a great idea!

Ana Powell said...

What a luxurious soup, I just love scallops.
I am taking your recipe with me.
Wishing you a lovely weekend x

Amanda said...

I love squash soups--so warm & comforting. Yours looks spectacular!

Deepthi Shankar said...

sounds delicious sara ... You can buy puffed rice in any Indian store

pigpigscorner said...

Scallops, bacon and squash....sounds really delicious!

Yasmeen said...

Looks exotic,I could do without bacon though,the scallops in squash soup must taste super good:)

Anonymous said...

I've never tried bay scallops but they look exactly how I like my scallops to be, fat and juicy! Wonderful sounding combination Sara! :)

test it comm said...

I really like the sound of adding scallops to squash soup.

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

MMM, bacon and scallops....the perfect combo, I'm actually making bacon wrapped scallops tomorrow.

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Great combination.