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.